Virat Kohli Archives

Kohli reacts after India lift T20 World Cup 2026 trophy

Ace batter Virat Kohli shared his joy after India defeated New Zealand to win the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026.

The Men in Blue annihilated New Zealand in a dominant display, sealing a 95-run win to lift their third T20 World Cup title.

Put into bat first, the hosts posted a mammoth total of 255 for 5 in their 20 overs, thanks to half-centuries from Abhishek Sharma, Sanju Samson, and Ishan Kishan.

In reply, New Zealand were bowled out for 159 in 19 overs with Jasprit Bumrah starring with the ball, taking a four-wicket haul. For his outstanding bowling, he was named the player of the match.

Following the triumph, reactions poured in from former cricketers, including Virat Kohli, who played a pivotal role in the 2024 World Cup campaign.

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“Champions.Phenomenal win for Team India in Ahmedabad. Absolutely no match for the explosive cricket played by us throughout the tournament,” he wrote on X.

“Brilliant character shown by the boys to keep fighting in tough situations and become world champions once again. Congratulations to all the players and all the members of the management for achieving this feat,” he said.

For the unversed, India became the first team to win the T20 World Cup three times and also the first to successfully defend the title.

Notably, this is also the first time that a host nation has lifted the limited-overs trophy.

READ: India crush New Zealand to win record T20 World Cup title

Farhan breaks Kohli’s long-standing T20 World Cup record

KANDY: Pakistan opener Sahibzada Farhan on Saturday shattered Indian legend Virat Kohli’s record for most runs in the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026.

Kohli held the record with a tally of 319 runs in the 2014 T20 World Cup.

Before heading into the Pakistan Super Eight fixture against Sri Lanka, Sahibzada had scored 283 runs in six matches. The right-hander had required 36 runs to break the record.

Farhan overtook Kohli when he smashed Shanaka for a boundary in the sixth over. The former India captain scored 319 runs in the 2014 edition.

The right-handed opener now leads the run charts with 323* runs, underlining a standout campaign that has included a century and two half-centuries for Pakistan at the T20 World Cup 2026.

He was eventually caught at covers just after reaching the triple-figure mark. Farhan tonked five maximums and nine fours in his record-breaking 100 off 60 balls.

Most runs in a single T20 World Cup edition

348* – Sahibzada Farhan, Pakistan (2026)*

319 – Virat Kohli, India (2014)

317 – Tillakaratne Dilshan, Sri Lanka (2009)

303 – Babar Azam, Pakistan (2021)

302 – Mahela Jayawardene, Sri Lanka (2010)

296 – Virat Kohli, India (2022)

295 – Tamim Iqbal, Bangladesh (2016)

289 – David Warner, Australia (2021)

281 – Mohammad Rizwan, Pakistan (2021)

281 – Rahmanullah Gurbaz, Afghanistan (2024)

Playing XIs

Sri Lanka: Pathum Nissanka, Kamil Mishara (wk), Charith Asalanka, Pavan Rathnayake, Kamindu Mendis, Dasun Shanaka (c), Janith Liyanage, Dunith Wellalage, Maheesh Theekshana, Dushmantha Chameera, Dilshan Madushanka

Pakistan: Sahibzada Farhan, Fakhar Zaman, Salman Agha (c), Khawaja Nafay, Usman Khan (wk), Shadab Khan, Mohammad Nawaz, Shaheen Afridi, Naseem Shah, Abrar Ahmed, Usman Tariq

READ: Shahid Afridi names Agha’s replacement for Pakistan captaincy

Sahibzada Farhan comments on potentially breaking Virat Kohli’s record

KANDY: Pakistan opener Sahibzada Farhan has dismissed the talk of breaking Indian legend Virat Kohli’s record for most runs in the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup, insisting his focus remains on helping Pakistan win.

Farhan is currently the leading run-scorer in the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026 with 220 runs in four games.

Meanwhile, Kohli holds the record with 319 runs in the 2014 T20 World Cup, a mark that has sparked speculation as Farhan heads into at least two more Super Eight matches against England and Sri Lanka, with the potential for more if Pakistan advance.

During the pre-match press conference in Kandy ahead of Tuesday’s clash with England, Farhan made it clear that personal milestones are secondary.

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“My effort is always to take the innings deep and to score more runs and win matches for Pakistan,” he said.

“I don’t focus much on stats or records. Although records are made to be broken, I am not thinking about that. The aim is to score maximum runs for Pakistan.”

Pakistan have just a solitary point in the Super Eight stage after their opening fixture against New Zealand in Colombo was washed out, while England arrive with momentum after a 51-run win over co-hosts Sri Lanka at the same venue on Sunday.

READ: Sahibzada Farhan unfazed by Jofra Archer in must-win England clash

Daryl Mitchell dethrones Virat Kohli as No.1 ranked ODI batter

DUBAI: New Zealand batter Daryl Mitchell on Wednesday surpassed Virat Kohli to claim the No.1 spot in the latest ICC Men’s ODI batting rankings.

The 34-year-old now sits in the top position with 845 ranking points, replacing Kohli, who drops to the second spot with 795 points.

Kohli’s stay at the top was short-lived, having held the position for just a week despite an impressive series against New Zealand.

The Hamilton-born batting all-rounder rose to the top spot on the back of his stellar series against India, where he amassed 352 runs across three games, hence playing a vital role in the BlackCaps first ODI series win on Indian soil.

Mitchell rose to the top spot on the back of his stellar series against India, where he amassed 352 runs across three games, hence playing a vital role in the BlackCaps first ODI series win on Indian soil.

Mitchell started the series with an 81 off 71 balls, top-scoring for his side, which was followed by an unbeaten 131 off 117. His century helped New Zealand level the series and earned him the Player of the Match award.

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In the final game, Daryly Mitchell put on a batting masterclass, scoring 137 from 131 deliveries, which propelled his side to a massive 337-run total.

Notably, Mitchell’s tally of 352 runs is the highest ever by a Kiwi player in a three-match ODI series and the third highest of all time.

Only Pakistan’s Babar Azam, who amassed 360 runs against the West Indies in 2016, and India’s Shubman Gill, who scored 360 runs against New Zealand in 2023, sit above him on the list.

Besides Mitchell and Kohli, Afghanistan’s Ibrahim Zadran climbed to third place, replacing Rohit Sharma.

Meanwhile, there were no major changes for Pakistan players in the overall rankings.

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Kohli 124 in vain as New Zealand seal historic ODI series win

INDORE: Virat Kohli’s 124 went in vain as New Zealand outplayed India to win the three-match ODI series against India.

Set a daunting 338, India fell short by 41 runs as New Zealand bowled them out for 296 in 41 overs.

The victory marked the Blackcaps’ first ODI series win in India, after failing to achieve the feat previously.

The in-form Kohli, who plays just the 50-over format after retiring from Test and T20 international cricket, threatened to pull off the chase in a 99-run seventh-wicket partnership with Harshit Rana, who made 52.

New Zealand left-arm spinner Jayden Lennox returned figures of 2-42 from his 10 overs after captain Michael Bracewell left the field with a calf injury and did not return.

Mitchell led the team in Bracewell’s absence, which also left New Zealand a bowler short.

Zak Foulkes and fellow seamer Kristian Clarke took three wickets each.

India slumped to 71-4 before Kohli hit back in an 88-run stand with Nitish Kumar Reddy, who made 53, and then with Rana.

Kohli struck 10 fours and three sixes in his 108-ball knock before he was caught off Clarke and walked back to a rousing ovation af

Earlier, Daryl Mitchell and Glenn Phillips struck counter-attacking centuries as New Zealand posted 337-8

New Zealand slipped to 5-2 and then 58-3 after being invited to bat first in Indore before Mitchell and Phillips put on 219 runs for the fourth wicket.

Mitchell made 137 and Phillips hit 106 off 88 balls to take the attack to the opposition bowlers as New Zealand look for their first ODI series win in India.

The in-form Mitchell picked up where he left off from his match-winning 131 not out in the previous match, which levelled the series at 1-1.

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Mitchell reached his ninth ODI ton with a single of Ravindra Jadeja, letting out a scream and celebrating with his partner.

Phillips reached his hundred off Arshdeep Singh and pointed his bat to the sky as the crowd and the New Zealand dressing room stood to applaud.

Arshdeep finally got Phillips caught behind to end the marathon stand and Mitchell soon followed after falling to Mohammed Siraj.

New Zealand wobbled with four more wickets but captain Michael Bracewell hammered an unbeaten 28 off 18 balls to boost their total.

Left-arm quick Arshdeep struck in the first over when he bowled Henry Nicholls for a first-ball duck and Harshit Rana removed Devon Conway for five in the next over.

Rana stuck again to remove Will Young for 30 but Mitchell and Phillips then rebuilt the innings and put New Zealand on course to a challenging total.

The series will be followed by five T20s ahead of the T20 World Cup in India and Sri Lanka between February 7 and March 8.

READ: Dominant Afghanistan crush West Indies in U19 World Cup

Virat Kohli claims No.1 spot in ODI Batting Rankings

DUBAI: India’s star batter Virat Kohli has returned to the top of the ICC Men’s ODI Batting Rankings, more than four years after last holding the position, replacing teammate Rohit Sharma in the latest update released on Wednesday.

Kohli’s resurgence comes on the back of a match-winning 93 off 91 balls in India’s successful chase of New Zealand’s 300 in the opening ODI of the three-match series in Vadodara on Sunday.

His current form has been exceptional, featuring scores of 74*, 135, 102, and 65* in his previous four ODIs.

With this latest rise, Virat Kohli has reached the No.1 spot for the 11th time in his career. Since first achieving it in October 2013, the 37-year-old has spent a total of 825 days atop the rankings, the most by any Indian batter.

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He now sits tenth on the all-time list, behind Vivian Richards, who leads with 2,306 days at No.1.

Rohit Sharma, meanwhile, has slipped two places to third after scoring just 26 in Vadodara. New Zealand’s Daryl Mitchell moved up to second, posting 84 off 71 balls in the same match.

The top three remain closely contested, with Kohli at 785 points, Mitchell 784, and Rohit 775, meaning a single standout innings could shift the standings again.

KL Rahul also made progress in the rankings, rising from 12th to 11th after finishing 29 not out off 21 deliveries.

READ: Saim Ayub loses top spot in T20I all-rounder rankings after Sri Lanka series

Virat Kohli 93 powers India to victory over New Zealand

Virat Kohli hit 93 to help India chase down 301 in a tense four-wicket win over New Zealand in the first one-day international on Sunday.

The in-form Kohli struck his 77th ODI half-century but missed out on a ton as India slipped from 234-2 to 242-5 before they reached their target with six balls to spare in Vadodara.

Skipper Shubman Gill made 56 in a 118-run second-wicket stand with Kohli, who shared another strong partnership with Shreyas Iyer, who made 49.

Late cameos by Harshit Rana (29) and wicketkeeper-batter KL Rahul, who made an unbeaten 29 including the winning six, secured an Indian lead in the three-match series 1-0.

New Zealand pace spearhead Kyle Jamieson stood out with figures of 4-41.

Kohli led the chase as he went past Sri Lanka’s Kumar Sangakkara (28,016 runs) to become the second leading run-scorer in international cricket, behind fellow Indian Sachin Tendulkar (34,357).

The 37-year-old Kohli only plays the ODI format after he and fellow stalwart Rohit Sharma, 38, retired from T20 and Test cricket.

Rohit started strongly in his brisk 26 before he fell to New Zealand Jamieson.

The packed crowd welcomed Kohli with a huge roar as the star batter joined Gill at the crease to take the attack to the opposition.

He was ably supported by Gill, who has returned from an injury and a snub by the selectors from the T20 World Cup squad.

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Gill started slowly before he gained pace to raise his 16th ODI fift,y but soon fell to rookie leg-spinner Adithya Ashok.

Kohli was denied a ton by Jamieson, who got the batter caught out at extra cover. The former captain walked back to a standing ovation.

Jamieson dismissed Ravindra Jadeja, for four, in the same over and in the next bowled Iyer to raise New Zealand’s hopes of a turnaround.

India’s troubles increased with injury to Washington Sundar, who suffered a reported side strain while bowling his off-spin and came out to bat at number eight.

Earlier, New Zealand posted 300-8 after Daryl Mitchell hit 84 to defy the Indian bowlers after the hosts elected to field first.

Openers Devon Conway, who made 56, and Henry Nicholls (62) put on 117 but New Zealand suffered from a lack of major partnerships after their big opening stand.

Pace bowlers Mohammed Siraj, Rana and Praisdh Krishna took two wickets each.

The second match is on Wednesday in Rajkot.

The series will be followed by five T20s ahead of the T20 World Cup in India and Sri Lanka between February 7 and March 8.

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Kohli breaks Tendulkar’s record to reach 28,000 runs

VADODARA: India’s talismanic batter Virat Kohli on Sunday added another feather to his cap after shattering Sachin Tendulkar’s record to reach 28,000 runs in international cricket during the ODI series opener against New Zealand.

The right-hander recorded the feat in 624 innings, surpassing Tendulkar’s record of 644 innings and Sri Lanka’s Kumar Sangakara’s (666) innings.

In doing so, he also overtook Sangakara’s tally of 28,016 runs in international cricket and now trails only Tendulkar’s 34,357 runs.

Before coming into the fixture, Kohli required 25 runs to reach the milestone, and he did it in style, hitting a four during the 12th over of the game.

Later on, he went past Sanagakara on the last ball of the 18th over with a single off Michael Bracewell’s bowling.

Fastest to 28,000 international runs

624 innings* = Virat Kohli*
644 innings – Sachin Tendulkar
666 innings – Kumar Sangakkara

Put into bat first, New Zealand piled up 300-8 at the end of their 50 overs with Daryll Mitchell top-scoring with 84.

In reply, India started strongly with Rohit Sharma and returning Shubman Gill stitching a 39-run partnership.

After Rohit’s dismissal for 26, Kohli came to the fore and steadied India’s ship with a monumental partnership of 118 with Gill.

Gill made 56 from 71 balls while Virat Kohli continued to dominate until the first ball of the 39th over.

The right-handed batter was caught after nearly missing his 54th ODI century. He hit eight fours and a six on his way to 93 from 91 deliveries.

Eventually, India cruised to a four-wicket win over the BlackCaps in the last over, with KL Rahul remaining unbeaten on 29.

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Kohli breaks another Tendulkar record on Vijay Hazare return

BENGALURU: India ace batter Virat Kohli on Wednesday shattered yet another record of legendary Sachin Tendulkar to become the fastest to 16,000 runs in men’s List A cricket during the Delhi opening match in the Vijay Hazare Trophy.

Kohli reached the landmark in his 330th innings on his Vijay Hazare Trophy return. On the contrary, Sachin crossed the feat in his 391st innings.

With this, Kohli now holds the record for the fastest player to reach each set of 1000 runs from 10,000 onwards.

Fastest to 16,000 Runs in List A Cricket

Virat Kohli in 330 Innings

Sachin Tendulkar in 391 Innings

Gordon Greenidge in 422 Innings

Ricky Ponting in 430 Innings

Graham Gooch in 435 Innings

Viv Richards in 435 Innings

Nonetheless, Kohli hit 131 from 101 balls with the help of three sixes and 14 fours, which helped Delhi chase down a target of 299 against Andhra Pardesh in 37.4 overs.

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The right-hander scored ton on 84 balls with a muted celebration.

Meanwhile, Rohit Sharma also hit a ton and scored 155 from 94 balls, a knock which propelled him past David Warner.

Warner had registered nine scores of 150+ in his List A career, while Rohit Sharma also equalled the record with his majestic knock.

The ace batter’s knock was laced with 18 fours and nine maximums, powering Mumbai to an eight-wicket victory over Sikkim.

For the unversed, the players’ participation in domestic competition comes after the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) issued strict guidelines for centrally contracted players.

The guidelines imply centrally contracted players’ compulsory participation in domestic competition in a bid to remain eligible for selection in the national team.

The policy was made in early January 2025 in the aftermath of India’s Test series loss against Australia down under.

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Kohli, Rohit set for demotion in BCCI central contracts: reports

Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma are reportedly headed for a demotion in the upcoming BCCI central contracts cycle for 2025–26, with Indian media claiming the matter will be taken up during the cricket board’s apex council meeting on December 22.

According to the reports, the BCCI is expected to revisit the grading of its senior-most players, with Kohli and Rohit likely to drop from the top A+ bracket due to their reduced involvement in India’s multi-format setup.

Both players stepped away from T20Is following the 2024 World Cup and later withdrew from Test cricket earlier this year, leaving ODI cricket as their only active format.

The BCCI’s central contracts are divided into four tiers, A+, A, B, and C, with the highest category reserved for India’s premier all-format performers.

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With the shift in roles and reduced availability of the senior pair, India’s Test and ODI captain Shubman Gill is expected to be promoted to the A+ list.

Kohli and Rohit continued to hold A+ contracts in the 2024–25 cycle alongside Jasprit Bumrah and Ravindra Jadeja despite their retirements from longer formats.

However, the latest reports indicate that the board is now prepared to adjust their status, marking the first major revision to their positioning in several years.

A demotion would also mean a financial hit for the two modern greats. The A+ category carries an annual retainer of INR 7 crore, while the A bracket offers INR 5 crore, a reduction of INR 2 crore per player.

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