The run-machine is back! Virat Kohli, for the second consecutive time in the ongoing Asia Cup 2022, has notched up a half-century score, this time against his favourite opponent in the format, Pakistan, in the Super 4 game at the Dubai International Stadium on Sunday. Kohli smashed a 44-ball 60 in India's total of 181 for seven against Babar Azam's men as the India star scripted two spectacular world records with the half-century score and also went atop in the run-scoring chart in Asia Cup 2022. (India vs Pakistan Live Score, Asia Cup 2022)
Lacing four boundaries and a six in his 44-ball innings, Kohli reached his second half-century score after having scored an unbeaten 44-ball 59 against Hong Kong two nights back at the same venue. With the knock against Pakistan, Kohli went past India captain Rohit Sharma to become the batter with most ever fifty-plus scores in T20I cricket. He now has 32 such scores in 94 innings for India, one more than Rohit, who has appeared in a record 135 matches for the Men in Blue in the format.
This was also his fourth fifty-plus knock against Pakistan in the T20I format, which puts him at the top of the unique list alongside England legend Kevin Pietersen, veteran New Zealand batters Martin Guptill and Kane Williamson, and Australia's Aaron Finch.
{{/usCountry}}This was also his fourth fifty-plus knock against Pakistan in the T20I format, which puts him at the top of the unique list alongside England legend Kevin Pietersen, veteran New Zealand batters Martin Guptill and Kane Williamson, and Australia's Aaron Finch.
{{/usCountry}}The knock also out him past incumbent India head coach Rahul Dravid in the list if most fifty-plus scores for India in international cricket. He now has 194 such scores, of which 70 are centuries, and stands only behind the legendary Sachin Tendulkar, who has 264 such knocks for India.
Kohli has also become the leading run-getter in the ongoing tournament, scoring 154 runs at an average of 77 and strike rate of 126.22. Afghanistan's Rahmanullah Gurbaz stands second with 135 runs in as many innings.