Virat Kohli produced an incredible outing in the third and final ODI of the series against Sri Lanka on Sunday, as he smashed an unbeaten 166 off just 110 deliveries in Thiruvananthapuram. Thanks to Kohli and Shubman Gill's (116) brilliant centuries, India posted a mammoth score of 390/5 in fifty overs. Kohli was batting on 82 by the end of the 40th over of the innings and accelerated at a stunning rate, scoring the remaining 84 runs in just 34 deliveries.
Kohli smashed 13 fours and eight sixes en route to his 166-run knock in the third ODI, and Kohli's incredible six-hitting also impressed Indian captain Rohit Sharma, who lauded the Indian batter in awe as Kohli hit the Lankan bowlers around the park. During the final over of the Indian innings, Kohli hit two sixes; he slapped the second wide of long-off boundary.
Here's how Rohit reacted to the shot:
Rohit had also scored an important 42 off 49 deliveries before Kohli, alongside Gill, forged a 131-run stand for the second wicket. Following the opener's departure, Kohli began on an offensive against the Sri Lankan bowlers, forging another 88-run partnership with Shreyas Iyer (38).
{{/usCountry}}Rohit had also scored an important 42 off 49 deliveries before Kohli, alongside Gill, forged a 131-run stand for the second wicket. Following the opener's departure, Kohli began on an offensive against the Sri Lankan bowlers, forging another 88-run partnership with Shreyas Iyer (38).
{{/usCountry}}The 34-year-old Kohli is now only three short of equalling Sachin Tendulkar's record of 49 centuries. What is remarkable is his conversion ratio as he got to his 46th ton in 259 innings while Tendulkar had taken 452 innings to get to 49 centuries. Kohli began the innings with a flurry of boundaries before accumulating runs with his exemplary running between the wickets. His first of his eight sixes came in the 80s and it was a mishit over long on, leaving him in a chuckle.
Before Kohli took over, Gill had played some high quality strokes en route to his second ODI hundred.