In a World Cup match on Nov 5, 2023, Virat Kohli delivered yet another milestone performance, scoring his 49th ODI century against South Africa. With this, Kohli equalled the legendary Sachin Tendulkar’s record for the most ODI centuries. This remarkable feat, achieved on his 35th birthday, led India to a resounding 243-run victory, maintaining their unbeaten streak in the tournament and securing their place at the top of the World Cup standings.

A significant milestone

Kohli’s road to his 49th ODI century took him fewer innings than Tendulkar's. While Tendulkar took 451 innings to reach this mark, Kohli achieved it in just 277 innings, underscoring his dominance in the format. India batting first at Kolkata’s Eden Gardens, Kohli scored an unbeaten 101 off 121 balls, a clinical innings marked by 10 boundaries. His partnership of 134 runs with Shreyas Iyer, who contributed with a fluent 77, laid the foundation for India’s challenging total of 326 for 5, leaving South Africa with an imposing chase​.

This was also a memorable personal milestone for Kohli, who had scored his first ODI century at the same venue against Sri Lanka in 2009. Nearly 15 years later, he reached his 49th hundred at the same ground.

Jadeja claims five-for

Following Kohli’s stellar innings, India’s bowlers rose to the occasion, particularly Ravindra Jadeja. Jadeja’s remarkable spell of 5 for 33 dismantled South Africa’s batting, bundling them out for a mere 83 runs in just 28 overs. With the ball gripping and the pitch slowing, Jadeja’s left-arm spin proved unplayable for the Proteas batters. Kuldeep Yadav and Mohammed Shami also chipped in, ensuring that South Africa never recovered and securing India’s eighth consecutive win in the tournament.

'Huge honour to equal my hero's record'

Tendulkar congratulated Kohli for matching his record, saying: "Well played Virat. It took me 365 days to go from 49 to 50 earlier this year. I hope you go from 49 to 50 and break my record in the next few days. Congratulations!!"

When asked about Tendulkar's message, an emotional Kohli said: "Tendulkar's message is quite special. For me, it's all too much to take in right now, to be honest, to equal my hero's record in one-day internationals is something that's a huge honour for me. I know that people like comparisons, I am never going to be as good as him. There's a reason why we all looked up to him. He's perfection when it comes to batting. I am trying to do my best, trying to win games for my country. He's always going to be my hero regardless of what happens. It's a very emotional moment for me. I know where I come from, the days that I watched him play on TV. So to stand here and get this appreciation from someone like him means a lot to me."

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