India’s batting icon Virat Kohli reached another historic milestone on Sunday, etching his name deeper into cricketing history by becoming the fastest player to score 28,000 runs in international cricket. He achieved the landmark during the opening One Day International against New Zealand, breaking a long-standing record previously held by legendary batter Sachin Tendulkar.
Kohli reached the feat in just 624 innings, significantly quicker than Tendulkar, who took 644 innings, and Sri Lanka great Kumar Sangakkara, who reached the mark in 666 innings. In doing so, Kohli also moved past Sangakkara’s career tally of 28,016 international runs, leaving him second only to Tendulkar, who remains at the top with 34,357 runs across formats.
Entering the match, Kohli required just 25 runs to achieve the milestone. He crossed the mark with a crisp boundary in the 12th over and later surpassed Sangakkara’s total by taking a single off Michael Bracewell on the final delivery of the 18th over, drawing applause from fans and teammates alike.
Batting first, New Zealand posted a challenging total of 300 for eight in their allotted 50 overs. Daryll Mitchell led the scoring for the visitors with a well-compiled 84, helping the Black Caps set a competitive target.
India’s chase got off to a steady start as Rohit Sharma and Shubman Gill added 39 runs for the opening stand. Rohit was dismissed for 26, after which Kohli took charge of the innings. He built a crucial 118-run partnership with Gill, anchoring the chase with authority and composure.
Gill scored a fluent 56 from 71 balls, while Kohli narrowly missed out on a century, departing for 93 off 91 deliveries. His knock included eight boundaries and a six, keeping India firmly in control.
In another achievment, Virat Kohli Broke Sachin Tendulkar’s Longstanding Record
India eventually clinched an exciting four-wicket victory in the final over, with KL Rahul staying unbeaten on 29 to guide the team home.
