Virat Kohli had a stunning performance at the Dubai International Stadium on Sunday, adding yet another achievement to his already impressive career. His unbeaten 100 marked the 51st century in his ODI journey, and during that innings, he also became the fastest player to hit 14,000 runs. Since hitting 8,000 ODI runs back in 2017 in just 175 innings, Kohli has been on a record-breaking spree, reaching every subsequent 1,000-run milestone faster than anyone else. Every time he scores big, he seems to rewrite the record books. This particular innings also pushed him ahead of Ricky Ponting, making him the third-highest run-scorer in international cricket, trailing only behind Sachin Tendulkar and Kumar Sangakkara.

Kohli's performance caught the attention of cricket fans worldwide, including the legendary Ponting, who offered his congratulations for Kohli surpassing him. Now, Kohli is less than 700 runs away from overtaking the former Sri Lankan captain, and while it seems inevitable, Ponting believes that catching up to the Master Blaster Tendulkar, who tops the list with 34,357 runs, will be quite the challenge.

Absolutely! Big shoutout to him. I caught the game results and saw that Virat hit a century. I wasn’t aware of the other milestones he reached during the match. He’s been a top-notch player for ages, especially in the white-ball formats. Honestly, I’ve mentioned before that I haven’t seen anyone better in ODIs than Virat Kohli. He’s getting pretty close to Sangakkara now, and I wouldn’t be surprised if he surpasses him soon. Still a bit of a way to go to catch up with Sachin, though, Ponting shared on the ICC Review Show.

It’s wild to think about, right? Virat has been phenomenal for such a long time, yet he’s still 4,000 runs shy of Sachin. That really highlights how incredible Sachin was and how long he played. But with someone like Virat, you can never count him out. As long as he’s still hungry, I’m not betting against him.

With this performance, Kohli silenced all the critics about his form. After a rough Test series in Australia where he only managed 91 runs in nine innings, he was feeling the heat. But everyone knows that when it’s an ICC event, Kohli steps up like no other. And especially against Pakistan, he just knows how to deliver.

Ricky Ponting believes that top players shine in big moments

Kohli came in at 31/1 and teamed up with Shubman Gill for a solid 69-run partnership, followed by another impressive 114 runs with Shreyas Iyer, who contributed a valuable half-century. Even after Iyer got out, Kohli kept things steady and led the team to another successful chase. It seems like whenever he faces Pakistan, he just shines, and Sunday was no exception.

Ponting remarked, "I've always believed that big games bring out the big names. You need your stars to step up in crucial moments, and there's no bigger match for India than one against Pakistan. Your legacy is built in those high-stakes international games, so it’s no surprise to see that happen."

He continued, "As you mentioned, in 2022 and now, Kohli has risen to the occasion against a team he probably prepares the hardest to face. Last night was a huge moment, especially with Pakistan batting first on a challenging pitch. It required someone at the top to deliver a match-winning performance, and once again, Kohli was the one to get it done."

Read Also: "Kohli's Class Remains Intact": Ashwin Defends Virat Amidst Criticism

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