Star Indian cricketer Virat Kohli scored a sensational hundred in the third and final ODI between Indian and Sri Lanka at Thiruvananthapuram. Kohli remained unbeaten on 166 off 110 balls with the help of 13 fours and 8 sixes as India posted a mammoth 390/5 in their allotted 20 overs. Following his magnificent knock, the former India captain has got praise from all around the world. Former Indian opener Gautam Gambhir also sang praises of Kohli.
Gambhir credited Kohli for his marvellous six-hitting prowess during the innings in the mid-innings show on Star Sports. Gambhir said, “The six-hitting ability of Kohli was just ‘Wow’ today”. Gambhir was not wrong about his assessment as Kohli put some majestic shots on display in his innings and smashed Sri Lankan bowlers all around the part for gigantic sixes.
Coming back to India’s innings, Indian captain Rohit Sharma called it correctly at the toss and elected to bat first. The opening partnership between Kohli and Shubman Gill was ended on 91 as Rohit was dismissed by Chamika Karunaratne. His dismissal brought Virat Kohli to the crease who looked on set for another big innings. Kohli scored a scintillating boundary on the second ball of his innings against Karunaratne to get off the mark and announced his arrival at the crease.
He further scored two more boundaries in the next over against Jeffrey Vandersay to get his innings going. He looked completely unfazed by Sri Lankan bowling as he played second fiddle to Gill who was nearing his second ODI hundred. The Delhi batter brought up his fifty in 48 balls as he set himself for the second hundred of the series. Kohli and Gill added 131 runs for the third wicket as Gill got dismissed for 116 off 97 balls.
Kohli scored his highest score batting first in ODIs
The former Indian captain was batting in the 80s in the 40th over and scored a boundary and a six in consecutive overs to move into the 90s. Kohli brought up his 46th ODI hundred on the last ball of the 43rd over and launched an onslaught on the Sri Lankan attack. The 34-year-old unleashed his beast mode as he started plundering sixes in every over.
The entire Sri Lankan attack got no respite from the swashbuckling batter who was in no mood to keep the ball on the ground. The fans at Thiruvananthapuram got to see vintage Kohli in action as he ended the innings with a magnificent 166 off 110 balls with 13 fours with 8 sixes. It was his highest-ever score batting first in ODIs and also his fifth score of 150+ in ODIs.
Meanwhile, Twitter was buzzing with reactions on Gambhir’s praise for Kohli. Here are some of the Tweets:
— Bhoomish Banewal (@Bhoomishbanewal) January 15, 2023
I had no idea GG had the word 'wow' in his vocabulary.
Usually his dictionary only has words like Dhoni, Kohli, 2011 WC.
— Arnomic (@ArnologicB3ats) January 15, 2023
At last, his remarkable performance forced GG to sing praises of him
— ??? (@lubnafied) January 15, 2023
Is Gambhir k baccha se bol #ViratKohli? se panga na leee.
King is always a KING ?#ViratKohli?— King Kohli? (@LadakhiBoy18) January 15, 2023
Virat aise khel raha hai ki gambhir ko bhi uski badaai karni pad rahi hai
— Hritik Singh Chaudhary (@Hritik_Singh_05) January 15, 2023
Mein toh gambhir kaa face dekh rha tha jab kohli ki century hone waali thi asa lag rha tha jaise kitna depressed hai ??
— Asjad Khan ?? (@AsjadKh95895411) January 15, 2023
Party badal liya ??
— K-One Status (@KOneStatus1) January 15, 2023
We don't want the fake appreciate
— ' (@Vjcheekku) January 15, 2023
He must end his enmity towards ?Virat Kohli and appreciate him
— ??Virat Dhoni Empire?? (@ViratDhoni88) January 15, 2023
— Rahul Zirpe (@ZirpeRahul) January 15, 2023
— Lakshyadeep singh shaktawat (@lakshyadeep31) January 15, 2023
— YASH ?? (@Yashhhh1910) January 15, 2023
Aaj Suraj kha se nikla h bhai.. Ye bnda aisa bhi bol skta h kohli k liye, @CricCrazyJohns is it true…??? I'm shocked…??
— Chaudhary Amit (@amitt_ydv) January 15, 2023
