NEW DELHI: Star India batter Virat Kohli achieved a remarkable feat on Saturday by becoming the first cricketer to amass 3,000 runs in both 20-over and 50-over World Cups combined.
This significant milestone was reached during India’s T20 World Cup Super Eight match against Bangladesh in Antigua.
Despite a few lackluster performances in recent games, Virat showcased glimpses of his exceptional skills, scoring 37 runs off 28 deliveries at a strike rate of 132.14.His innings included a boundary and three impressive sixes.
Virat’s dominance in the ICC T20 World Cup is unparalleled, as he holds the record for the highest run-scorer in the tournament’s history. With 1,207 runs in 32 matches and 30 innings, he boasts an impressive average of 63.52 and a strike rate of 129.78.
Remarkably, he has remained unbeaten 11 times and has scored 14 half-centuries, with his highest score being 89*. His outstanding performances earned him the prestigious ‘Player of the Tournament’ award in both 2014 and 2016.
The 2014 T20 World Cup campaign stands out as Virat’s most successful, where he accumulated 319 runs in six matches at an astonishing average of 106.33, including four half-centuries, and maintained a strike rate of 129.15.
However, in the ongoing tournament, Virat has scored 66 runs in five games at an average of 13.20 and a strike rate of 108.19, with his highest score being 37.
Kohli has an impressive record in the 50-over World Cup, where he is the second-highest run-scorer in the tournament’s history. In 37 matches and innings, he has amassed 1,795 runs at an average of 59.83 and a strike rate of 88.20. His tally includes five centuries and 12 half-centuries, with a highest score of 117.
During the 2023 50-over World Cup held in India, he delivered a career-defining performance. He emerged as the top-scorer and was awarded the prestigious ‘Player of the Tournament’ title. In 11 matches, he accumulated a staggering 765 runs at an average exceeding 95, including three centuries and six fifties.
His best score in the tournament was 117. Notably, Virat surpassed Sachin Tendulkar‘s record of 673 runs set in 2003, registering the highest number of runs by a batter in a single World Cup edition.
Considering his overall performance across both the T20 World Cup and the 50-over World Cup, Virat has played a total of 69 matches. In 67 innings, he has scored an impressive 3,002 runs at an average of 61.26. His record boasts five centuries and 26 half-centuries, with a highest score of 117.