In another commanding display, India secured a resounding victory over Bangladesh in Pine, maintaining their flawless record in the ongoing World Cup and claiming the top spot on the leaderboard. The foundation for this triumph was laid by the disciplined bowling that restricted the Tigers to 256 runs, along with the dazzling performances of Rohit Sharma (48) and Shubman Gill (53).
However, the star of the show was Virat Kohli, who ultimately reached a century in a manner that deviated significantly from his usual principles of cricket. Kohli was cruising at 56 when India’s second wicket fell, introducing KL Rahul to the crease.
At that stage, the team required a mere 79 runs, at a rate of fewer than four runs per over. Seizing the opportunity, Rahul unleashed a series of explosive shots and quickly advanced past 30 runs. As the target dwindled to 19 runs, Kohli found himself stranded at 81, and that’s when the drama began.
He struck a four to commence the 40th over, and then, a couple of balls later, nudged the ball to deep cover point, offering a seemingly straightforward single. To the surprise of many, both batsmen declined the offered run, with Kohli determined to reach his century.
From that point onward, Kohli focused solely on boundaries and doubles, taking a single only on the last ball of an over to keep the strike. During this time, a wide delivery from Hasan Mahmud made the task more challenging. Things escalated when Nasum Ahmed sent a ball down the leg side, away from Kohli, with only two runs required.
— Young Gopal (@younggopal467) October 19, 2023
Astonishingly, the wide was not called by the umpire Richar Kettleborough, allowing Kohli to conclude the match with a maximum and secure his first World Cup century since 2015. Kohli justified his uncharacteristic approach by citing this milestone as the driving force behind his seemingly selfish play.
