Indian batting maestro Virat Kohli etched his name in the record books once again, becoming only the third cricketer to surpass 14,000 runs in ODI cricket.
The 36-year-old reached this remarkable milestone during India’s ICC Champions Trophy clash against Pakistan at the Dubai International Stadium on Sunday. Kohli also equaled Sachin Tendulkar’s record of 23 half-centuries in ICC ODI events. A standout moment came in the 13th over, when he elegantly drove a delivery from Haris Rauf past mid-off for a boundary, bringing up his 14,000th run in ODIs.
Kohli now joins an elite club alongside Sachin Tendulkar (18,426 runs in 463 ODIs) and Kumar Sangakkara (14,234 runs in 404 matches) as only the third batter to achieve this feat.
Indian batting talisman Virat Kohli crosses a major milestone to join Sachin Tendulkar and Kumar Sangakkara 👀#PAKvIND #ChampionsTrophy https://t.co/Xznber5ZVT
— ICC (@ICC) February 23, 2025
Regarding the match, Pakistan won the toss and opted to bat first. They had a solid start, with Babar Azam (23 off 26 balls, five fours) playing some crisp shots in a 41-run opening partnership. However, two quick wickets left Pakistan struggling at 47/2.
Mohammad Rizwan (46 off 77 balls, three fours) and Saud Shakeel (62 off 76 balls, five fours) stabilized the innings with a 104-run stand, though their slow pace put pressure on the middle order. After their partnership ended, Khushdil Shah (38 off 39 balls, two sixes) provided some late resistance alongside Salman Agha (19) and Naseem Shah (14), but Pakistan was eventually bowled out for 241 in 49.4 overs.
India now requires 242 runs to secure a crucial win and keep their semifinal hopes alive, and they appear to be in control of the chase.
