Virat Kohli scripted history when he slammed his 50th ODI ton during Rohit Sharma-led India’s 70-run win over New Zealand in the first semi-final of the ODI World Cup, on Wednesday (Nov 15) in Mumbai. Batting first, India rode on captain Rohit’s electrifying start (29-ball 47), Shubman Gill’s 80*, Kohli’s 117 and Shreyas Iyer’s 105 to post 397/4 and dismissed the Kiwis for 327 in 48.5 overs.

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Kohli’s historic ton headlined India’s win, despite Mohammed Shami walking away with the Player-of-the-Match for his stunning 7 for 57, as he went past Master Blaster Sachin Tendulkar’s ODI ton tally (49 — which was most by any player). The former Indian captain, thus, achieved a massive feat in front of a packed Wankhede stadium, comprising Tendulkar as well. After this, former Pakistan stumper Kamran Akmal made a big claim that Babar Azam can break Kohli’s historic record.

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‘We have Babar Azam, who bats at No 3 and he has a chance’

Akmal said on ARY News, “Anyone who bats in the top three can break that record. It is very challenging for middle-order batsmen to get to such a number. We have Babar Azam, who bats at No 3 and he has a chance. India have Shubman Gill, who opens the batting, and he can also go for the record.”

Babar has 5,729 runs in 117 ODIs, including 19 tons at an average of 56.72. Talking about his run in the ODI WC, the right-hander scored 320 runs with four half-centuries. Under Babar, Pakistan ended with four wins out of nine league games and failed to enter the semi-finals. The 1992 winners ended at the fifth spot with a Net Run Rate of -0.199. Soon after Pakistan’s exit, Babar resigned as the all-format captain with Shan Masood and Shaheen Afridi succeeding him in Tests and T20Is, respectively.

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