The President of the Cricket Association of Bengal (CAB), Snehasish Ganguly, marked India’s ace batter Virat Kohli’s birthday by presenting him with a special gold-plated cricket bat.
Virat Kohli, who celebrated his birthday in grand style, scored an extraordinary unbeaten century, 101 runs, against South Africa at the iconic Eden Gardens. This remarkable feat allowed him to equal Sachin Tendulkar’s record of 49 centuries in One Day International (ODI) cricket, making him the joint-highest century scorer in ODI history.
The gold-plated bat presented by the CAB President featured the words “Happy Birthday Virat.” Just below that, it bore the inscription: “You are a symbol of dedication and a living proof that age is just a number.” This gesture was announced in an official statement by the CAB.
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The birthday celebrations didn’t stop there. Virat Kohli also had the opportunity to cut a grand birthday cake, specially crafted for the occasion. The cake featured a prominent sculpture of Virat Kohli on top, set against a backdrop of dark chocolate and adorned with blue icing.
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Also Read: India’s ODI World Cup 2023 Dominance: Crushing South Africa by 243 Runs
Kohli’s extraordinary birthday bash continued on the cricket field as he delivered a superb batting performance, achieving his 49th ODI century with an unbeaten 101 runs off 121 deliveries. Impressively, Kohli reached this milestone in just 277 innings, which is significantly fewer than Tendulkar’s 451.
Kohli’s performance in the 2023 World Cup has been exceptional, with two centuries and four half-centuries in eight league games. He is currently the second-highest run-scorer in the tournament, trailing only South Africa’s Quinton de Kock. Kohli has amassed 543 runs with an impressive average of 108.60 and a strike rate of 88.29. This marks the first time he has scored more than 500 runs in an ODI World Cup.
Kohli’s century played a pivotal role in India setting a formidable target of 326 runs in their 50 overs. In response, South Africa’s batting lineup struggled, and they were dismissed for just 83 runs, resulting in a resounding 243-run victory for India.
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