Scoring ton on my birthday is a stuff of dreams, says Virat Kohli

NEW DELHI: Batting icon Virat Kohli delivered an exceptional performance, on his 35th birthday, by securing his

49th ODI century

, a feat that equalled the record set by the legendary Sachin Tendulkar.
This remarkable display unfolded during India's World Cup match against

South Africa

in Kolkata, where the

Eden Gardens

crowd witnessed a thrilling spectacle as India posted a formidable total of 326 for five.

Kohli's unbeaten innings of 101 runs off 121 deliveries not only celebrated his birthday but also placed him alongside Tendulkar in the record books, both having achieved 49 ODI centuries.

Partnering with

Shreyas Iyer

, the duo created a dazzling 134-run partnership, showcasing their dominance by aggressively handling the South African bowlers, with Iyer contributing a brisk 77 off 87 deliveries. Their powerful batting performance resonated throughout the stadium, as they effectively controlled the game.

Batting maestro Kohli termed the two-paced Eden wicket a challenging track
"It was a wicket that was tricky to bat on, we got a great start from Rohit and Shubman, my job was to keep it going on. The ball started gripping and turning after the 10th over, it slowed down and then my role was to bat deep with the others playing around me. That was what was communicated to me by the team management, Shreyas played well and we got a few more runs towards the end," Kohli said during the mid-innings interaction.

"We had a lot of chats during the Asia Cup, we bat at 3 and 4, so this was the partnership that was needed to take the game forward. We don't have Hardik in the team, so we knew a wicket or two could cost us, we had to dig deep and take the match deep.
"I'm grateful to god for giving me the chance to play and contribute to the team's success. It's great to get a hundred on my birthday in front of this big crowd at this great venue. The pitch is on the slower side, we have a quality bowling line-up as well, but we'll have to work hard. Wickets will be the key, getting a couple early will put them under pressure with the way this pitch is behaving," Kohli added.

In the latter stages of the innings, Ravindra Jadeja played a brief yet impactful unbeaten innings, scoring 29 runs off just 15 balls. His quickfire contribution significantly bolstered India's total, guiding them to a substantial score in the match.