India’s cricket maestro Virat Kohli secured the coveted title of the ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup 2023 (CWC23) Player of the Tournament, showcasing his exceptional batting prowess throughout the event.
Kohli, positioned as India’s number three, displayed remarkable consistency, achieving at least a half-century in nine out of his 11 innings.
His extraordinary performance culminated in a total of 765 runs during the tournament, setting a new record for the highest individual score in a men’s Cricket World Cup.
This accomplishment surpassed the previous benchmark set by Sachin Tendulkar, who scored 673 runs in the 2003 tournament.
Kohli’s tournament statistics included an impressive average of 95.62 and a strike rate of 90.31. He notched up three centuries during key matches against Bangladesh and South Africa in the league stage, and a crucial one against New Zealand in the semi-finals.
The third century in the semi-final not only propelled India forward but also elevated Kohli’s career tally to an unprecedented 50 One Day International hundreds, securing his position as the leading century-maker in the history of the format.
The historic moment occurred at the Wankhede Stadium, breaking Tendulkar’s long-standing record on the ‘Little Master’s’ home ground. Kohli expressed his joy, stating, “This all feels like a dream. If I could paint the perfect picture, I would want this to be the picture. My life partner, the person I love the most, she is sitting there. My hero Sachin is sitting there. I was able to get the 50th in front of them and these fans in such a historic venue. It’s amazing.”
Despite finishing the tournament with another impressive half-century, contributing 54 runs from 63 balls against Australia in the final, Kohli’s efforts were in vain as India fell short of victory in the ultimate showdown.
