Indore, Jan 18 (.) Virat Kohli once again showcased why he is the ultimate chase master, reaching a scintillating century to keep India’s hopes alive against a formidable New Zealand side in the third ODI at Holkar Cricket Stadium on Sunday.
The Indore spectators erupted as Kohli nudged a length ball to the on-side for a single, completing his 54th ODI hundred and his seventh against New Zealand, sending waves of cheer through the stadium.
Kohli’s innings was a perfect blend of elegance and power. He earlier hammered a back-of-a-length delivery over deep backward square leg for six, drove a fuller ball through cover for four, and expertly pulled another over deep backward square leg.
With impeccable timing and sharp shot selection, he deftly combined singles and boundaries to keep the scoreboard ticking while the pressure mounted. Even when faced with deliveries that threatened to beat him, Kohli read the bowler’s variations with calm precision, nudging, flicking, and driving the ball into gaps with clinical efficiency.
Supporting acts came from Harshit Rana and Nitish Reddy, who produced cracking shots to ease the asking rate. Harshit smashed a monstrous slog sweep over long-on, while Nitish celebrated his maiden ODI fifty with a towering six over deep mid-wicket, following it up with another aerial boundary. Their partnership took India past the 200-run mark, but wickets continued to tumble at the other end.
Ravindra Jadeja was caught at deep mid-wicket, Shreyas Iyer pulled straight to mid-on, and KL Rahul offered a simple catch at cover. Even Rohit Sharma fell cheaply, while Shubman Gill, despite hitting a flurry of boundaries, could not steady the innings.
Despite Kohli’s heroics, India still face a daunting chase, with the required rate climbing above 10 and only four wickets in hand. New Zealand holds the advantage with a strong batting line-up at the crease. Yet, Kohli’s century—a masterful combination of poise, aggression, and tactical brilliance—remains the highlight of a thrilling contest, keeping India in the hunt and giving fans hope of a dramatic finish.
With this innings, Kohli now has 85 international hundreds, including 41 for India, cementing his status as one of the greatest run-chasers in cricket history. But for India to pull off victory, the remaining batters will need to rise to the occasion in what promises to be a gripping finale.
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