If you want to awaken Kohli from sleep, then just say that your match is from Pakistan… This statement belongs to former Pakistani fast bowler Shoaib Akhtar. Akhtar made such a statement about a month before the start of the ICC Champions Trophy 2025. Given the records of Virat Kohli against the Pakistani team, it was perfect for Akhtar to say so. Now Kohli scored a century against Pakistan in the Champions Trophy and stamped Akhtar’s statement in a way.
Kohli told- why he is called King
Virat Kohli played such an innings against the Pakistani team at Dubai International Cricket Stadium on 23 February (Sunday), which will remain in the fans’ mind for a long time. Kohli scored an unbeaten 100 off 111 balls, including seven fours. Kohli had fully realized the Dubai pitch. That is why he did not take the risk of playing big shots on this slow pitch and took forward his innings with comfort. Kohli once again told the Pakistani team that he is the real king of the cricket world.
Virat Kohli, without compromising the art of batting, stunned his opponent in this match. Kohli also played his favorite shot ‘Cover Drive’ in this match, on which he has scored a lot of runs in international cricketers. Due to Kohli’s century innings, the Indian team easily managed to achieve the target of 242 runs. This century innings was also special for Kohli as he scored a century in the Champions Trophy for the first time.
Anyway, Virat Kohli usually plays a big innings in big matches. Who can forget the T20 World Cup held under the host of West Indies and USA last year. Kohli had scored 75 runs in 7 matches till then before the final match and he was on the target of critics. But in the biggest match of the tournament i.e. in the final, King Kohli’s bat started.
Virat Kohli then scored 76 runs off 59 balls in the final played against South Africa at Kensington Oval in Barbados. On the basis of that innings, the Indian team managed to set a target of 177 runs. What happened after that was recorded in the pages of history. The Indian team defeated South Africa and won the T20 World Cup for the second time. With that title victory, Virat had bid farewell to T20I.
Virat Kohli’s memorable innings came on Melbourne Cricket Ground against Pakistan in T20 World Cup 2022. Then during the runchase, the Indian team was in a lot of trouble and four wickets fell for 31 runs. Kohli then shared a century partnership with Hardik Pandya and made Team India return in the match. Kohli, facing 53 balls, scored an unbeaten 82 runs with the help of a total of six fours and four sixes. Many great moments were seen in that innings of 82 runs. Kohli hit two sixes which were recorded in history. These two sixes were hit on the ball of Haris Rauf, which made India easier for victory. Kohli considers that innings as the best T20 innings of his career.
If seen, Virat Kohli’s recent performance was nothing special. In addition to a century innings in the Border-Gavaskar Trophy (BGT) 2024-25, he was a flop in the rest of innings. At the same time, in the ODI series against England, he was disturbed by leg-spinner Adil Rashid’s spin. However, in Ahmedabad ODI, Kohli definitely managed to reach the half -century figures. Then in the match against Bangladesh, Kohli was dismissed for just 22 runs. But as soon as the match against Pakistan took place, Kohli withdrew his form.
Virat Kohli’s bat against Pakistan thundered fiercely. Kohli has scored 778 runs against this neighboring country at an average of 59.84 in 17 ODIs. During this time, 4 centuries and two half -centuries came out of his bat. Kohli’s best score in ODI is 183 runs, which came against Pakistan in the Asia Cup 2012. Kohli also played 11 T20 matches against Pakistan, in which he scored 492 runs with the help of an average and 5 half -centuries of 70.28. It is expected that Kohli will now do well for India in the matches coming in the Champions Trophy.
Virat Kohli’s test career
Total match: 121
Run: 9230
Average: 46.85
Century: 30
Fifty: 31
Six: 30
Fours: 1027
Virat Kohli’s ODI career
Total match: 299
Run: 14085
Average: 58.20
Century: 51
Fifty: 73
Six: 152
Fours: 1318
Virat Kohli’s T20 I career
Total match: 125
Run: 4188
Average: 48.69
Century: 1
Fifty: 38
Six: 124
Fours: 369