Virat Kohli hit his 71st international hundred after an extended period of nearly three years and propelled India to a good total against Afghanistan in the Asia Cup game on Thursday.
Virat Kohli hit his maiden T20I hundred, and his first in international cricket since November 2019, against Afghanistan in Dubai in the Asia Cup game on Thursday.
Kohli, who opened the batting with Rohit Sharma rested, put on a quickfire stand with KL Rahul for the opening wicket, before going berserk towards the end to get to the big milestone.
Kohli, who has had 32 scores of fifty or more in T20Is, hadn’t gotten to the three-figure mark ever in this format for India, but went on to complete the feat in 53 balls to put India in the driving seat.
Kohli completed 3500 runs during the course of the innings, becoming the second men’s player to the landmark in T20Is after Rohit Sharma. He also completed 100 sixes in his T20I career, becoming the 10th men’s player to the milestone.
Kohli also completed the much-awaited 71st international hundred, putting him level with Ricky Ponting for the second-most international hundreds after Sachin Tendulkar, who has 100.
Kohli’s 61-ball 122, studded with 12 fours and 6 sixes, helped India post a daunting 212/2 batting first, the highest score in the Asia Cup 2022 tournament so far.
- Kohli had gone 1021 days since his last international century – a Test match ton against Bangladesh at home in 2019.
- Kohli equalled Ponting’s tally of international hundreds with the century in Dubai
- The former India skipper crossed 3500 runs in T20Is, becoming the second men’s player after Rohit Sharma to the landmark
- The 122* is the 13th highest score in men’s T20Is and the highest by an Indian player.
- Kohli also recorded the highest score in T20Is in UAE with 122* in Dubai.
