Virat Kohli has been known for his exceptional performances in run chases for India over the past one and a half decades, across all three formats. One memorable instance occurred during the 2012 Tri-Nation Series in Australia. Kohli dominated the Sri Lankan bowlers and guided India to a seven-wicket victory at the Bellerive Oval in Hobart.
India needed 321 to win, but had to chase down the target in 40 overs to give themselves a chance of qualifying for the final. Virender Sehwag and Sachin Tendulkar took India off to a flying start, putting 54 runs for the opening wicket off 6.2 overs. Kohli came to bat after Lasith Malinga dismissed Tendulkar with India’s score at 86 for two in 9.2 overs. Â
From there on, Kohli took charge and stayed not out, helping India chase down the daunting target of 321 in 36.4 overs. He got to his half-century off 44 balls, after which he upped the ante to bring up his hundred off 76 balls. This chase has a seperate fan base. â¤ï¸ #OnThisDay pic.twitter.com/ueWmmnKS7x — Royal Challengers Bengaluru (@RCBTweets) February 28, 2025
Kohli eventually finished with 133 runs from 86 balls, laced with 16 fours and two sixes. After the game, then-skipper MS Dhoni said that the target was a mountain to climb, but the Indian batters made it possible with a brilliant start.
"This was some of the best ODI cricket I have been a part of. When you need 321 off 40, you need a good start. You need the quantity, but the quality ... We wanted to keep them down to 250, maximum 270. We knew we had the firepower, but still 320 was more than we could digest. But once we got that start, we knew we could kick on,” Dhoni had said during the post-match presentation ceremony.Â
13 years later, Kohli holds the record for most runs in successful run-chases in ODIs. In 105 ODIs, the right-handed batter has notched 5913 runs at an average of 89.59 with 24 hundreds and 25 fifties. His most recent hundred in a chase came against Pakistan on February 23, 2025 at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium. - Ends Also Read | Lahore rain and Australia threaten Afghanistan's historic semi-final bid
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