As India prepares for the second ODI against Sri Lanka in Colombo on Sunday, all eyes will be on star batter Virat Kohli as he aims to achieve significant milestones. Kohli, who announced his retirement from T20I cricket following India’s T20 World Cup victory over South Africa in June, continues to be a key player in ODIs and Tests.
In the previous ODI, Kohli had a modest performance, scoring 24 runs from 32 balls at a strike rate of 75.00, with two boundaries. As he gears up for the upcoming match, Kohli has the opportunity to break some notable records:
- He needs just 92 runs to become the fastest player to reach 27,000 runs in international cricket.
- Virat Kohli is also on the verge of becoming the fastest to accumulate 14,000 runs in ODIs, requiring 128 more runs to achieve this feat.
In the first ODI of the series, Sri Lanka won the toss and chose to bat, setting a target of 231 runs with a score of 230/8. Pathum Nissanka and Dunith Wellalage were pivotal in Sri Lanka’s innings, while Arshdeep Singh and Axar Patel excelled in bowling for India, each taking two wickets.
During India’s run chase, Rohit Sharma’s captaincy provided a strong start, and contributions from Axar Patel and KL Rahul kept India in the hunt. Despite their efforts, the match ended in a thrilling tie, with India being all out for 230. Wanindu Hasaranga and Charith Asalanka each claimed three wickets for Sri Lanka, with Dunith Wellalage named the ‘Player of the Match.’
As both teams return to the same venue for the second ODI, Kohli’s pursuit of these records will add extra excitement to an already anticipated clash.