In a truly remarkable achievement, the Indian cricket legend Virat Kohli added yet another feather to his cap by scoring 49th ODI century against South Africa in Match 37 of the ODI World Cup 2023, which took place at the iconic Eden Gardens on Sunday.
The historic ton not only secured an dominating victory for the Indian cricket team but also propelled Virat to a level that only the former Indian cricketing icon Sachin Tendulkar had achieved before. With this astonishing feat, the 35-year-old now shares the long-standing record of 49 ODI centuries with Sachin, cementing his status as one of the all-time greats in cricket.
As cricket enthusiasts and experts across the globe came together to extend their heartfelt congratulations to Virat for reaching this monumental milestone on his birthday, there was an interesting note of discord from an unexpected source. The skipper of the Sri Lankan cricket team, Kusal Mendis, appeared to be less than pleased with the former Indian captain’s remarkable accomplishment.
Kusal Mendis’ remark on Virat Kohli’s 49th century
During a pre-match press conference ahead of Sri Lanka‘s clash against Bangladesh, Mendis was posed with a question regarding whether he would like to extend his congratulations to Virat for his 49th century. In response, Mendis seemingly expressed his lack of enthusiasm for such an acknowledgement, stating why he would congratulate the right-handed batter.
“Why I would congratulate him?” responded Mendis to a journalist’s question.
Also READ – “I’m never going to be as good as him”: Virat Kohli on comparison with his ‘hero’ Sachin Tendulkar – ODI World Cup 2023
India’s unbeaten run continues
Talking about India’s performance, the Rohit Sharma-led side’s massive 243-run victory against the Proteas added another happy chapter to their unbeatable run in the World Cup 2023. The Men in Blue have won all eight matches they played so far and will lock horns against the Netherlands on November 12 in their last league-stage fixture of the ongoing tournament.
