On his 35th birthday, Virat Kohli celebrated in style, scoring his 49th ODI century to equal Sachin Tendulkar’s record as India annihilated South Africa by 243 runs in a group-stage match of the ICC Cricket World Cup 2023 at Eden Gardens, Kolkata. Kohli’s century was the cornerstone of India’s impressive performance, as they posted a mammoth total of 326/5 in their allotted 50 overs. Kohli scored 101 runs off 121 balls, including 10 well-timed fours.
Virat Kohli was ably supported by Shreyas Iyer, who chipped in with a valuable 77. South Africa’s chase never really got off the ground, as they were bundled out for a paltry 83 in 27.1 overs. Mohammed Shami and Ravindra Jadeja ran riot with the ball, picking up three wickets each. Jadeja, in particular, was unplayable, bowling with great guile and accuracy. He finished with figures of 5/33 in nine overs.
India’s victory was their seventh in a row in the tournament, and they have now qualified for the semi-finals with ease. They are the clear favorites to win the title, and it will be interesting to see if they can maintain their winning streak in the knockout stages.
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Amidst the intense battle on the field, an unexpected moment of humor provided light-hearted entertainment for the fans. During a phase in the match when Virat Kohli and Shreyas Iyer were batting together, they seemed to be struggling to rotate the strike.
All eyes turned to the dressing room, where captain Rohit Sharma was seen communicating with Ishan Kishan, the 12th man, possibly with a message for Kohli and Iyer. In a delightful turn of events, Ishan Kishan rushed to the field during an overbreak, seemingly with a message for the two batsmen. The incident, captured by the cameras, sparked laughter both in the stadium and among those watching on television.
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Ravi Shastri, the renowned former cricketer and commentator, had a hilarious take on the incident, saying that if anything went wrong and one of the batters was dismissed, it would be Ishan Kishan who would be held accountable. “Aagar aisa waisa kuch hogaya to chaddi Kishan ki khichegi galat message dene k liye.” (If anything happens, it will be Ishan Kishan who will be held accountable),” Ravi Shastri said on air.
Ravi Shastri’s commentary on Rohit’s instructions to Ishan Kishan for the Kohli and Iyer😂😂
“Woh batsman phir andar aakar bolega Ishan toh kuch aur hi bola tha, aur phir chaddi kisi aur ki ghis jaayegi” pic.twitter.com/y80C2HeKpV
— Jay Kamat (@JayendraKamat) November 5, 2023
The incident was a reminder that even in the midst of a high-stakes match, there is always room for a bit of light-hearted humor. It also served as a testament to the camaraderie and team spirit that exists within the Indian cricket team.
