IND vs BAN: Virat Kohli reaches 69th half-century, can the 'King' finish the game for India?

The crowd erupted in loud cheers, and Virat Kohli acknowledged the applause by raising his bat in celebration.

Virat Kohli

In the clash between India and Bangladesh during Match 17 of the ICC Men's ODI World Cup 2023, former India captain Virat Kohli showcased his batting prowess by achieving yet another half-century. This remarkable performance unfolded at the Maharashtra Cricket Association Stadium in Pune, following the departure of skipper Rohit Sharma, who had scored 48 runs.

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Upon taking the crease, Kohli wasted no time and made an explosive start to his innings. In his very first over at the crease, he was presented with two free hits, which he capitalized on. Kohli continued to dominate and reached his 50 runs from as many balls. To achieve his half-century, he nudged the ball to mid-on and sprinted across for a single.

The crowd erupted in loud cheers, and Kohli acknowledged the applause by raising his bat in celebration. He then shared a congratulatory glove punch with his partner, Shreyas Iyer.

Most 50-plus scores in international cricket:

264 - Sachin Tendulkar

217 - Ricky Ponting

216 - Kumar Sangakkara

212 - Virat Kohli

211 - Jacques Kallis

Earlier in the match, Shubman Gill also contributed significantly by scoring 53 runs before he was dismissed by Mehidy Hasan Miraz. Rohit Sharma was subsequently sent back by Hasan Mahmud.

As of the writing this article, 29 overs were done and India lost two wickets, amassing a total of 178 runs. The Men in Blue now require 79 runs to secure victory in this contest.

In the earlier part of the game, Bangladesh decided to bat first and concluded their innings with a total of 256 runs for the loss of 8 wickets in their allotted 50 overs. India's bowlers, including Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammed Siraj, and Ravindra Jadeja, each claimed two wickets, while Kuldeep Yadav and Shardul Thakur secured one wicket each.

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