November 15, 2023, will go down in the history of world cricket as a watershed moment as India's premier batter Virat Kohli ascended heights of greatness by virtue of his 50th ODI century in the first semifinal of the ongoing World Cup.
Virat's ton came against New Zealand while playing at the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai and saw him surpass the "Master Blaster" Sachin Tendulkar's record of the most centuries (49) in ODI cricket history.
Several renowned personalities from various walks of life are appreciating Kohli for scaling the milestone, India's Prime Minister Narendra Modi has also joined the list.
PM Modi took to the social media platform 'X' and captioned a heartwarming post for the former India skipper. "Today, @imVkohli has not just scored his 50th ODI century but has also exemplified the spirit of excellence and perseverance that defines the best of sportsmanship.
This remarkable milestone is a testament to his enduring dedication and exceptional talent. I extend heartfelt congratulations to him. May he continue setting a benchmark for future generations," he wrote.
Virat is in a rich vein of form in the ongoing World Cup and has already aggregated 711 runs in 10 games thus far. The most astonishing fact about his surreal run in the tournament is the jaw-dropping average at which he has scored his runs - 101.57. The 35-year-old has smashed three centuries and five half-centuries already.
The right-handed batter has also maintained an impressive strike rate of 90.68 while scoring his runs with the help of 64 boundaries and nine sixes. Kohli's impressive hundred also helped him break yet another record of Sachin. Virat, now, holds the record for scoring the most runs in a single ODI World Cup edition. Sachin previously held the record with 673 runs that he had scored in the 2003 edition.
