Kohli ends drought with his maiden T20 international ton as India win big

08.09.2022 - 21:35 news24.com

Virat Kohli hit his first international century since November 2019 with a maiden T20 ton for India to lead the team's 101-run thrashing of Afghanistan in the Asia Cup on Thursday.The star batsman stood unbeaten on 122 off 61 deliveries to power India to 212-2 in Dubai after being put into bat first in their last Super Four match following their elimination from the tournament.Seam bowler Bhuvneshwar Kumar then returned his T20 best of five wickets for four runs to help limit Afghanistan to 111-8 with Ibrahim Zadran unbeaten on 64.But the day belonged to Kohli, who hit a four and a six off pace bowler Fareed Ahmad to reach his first India ton in nearly three years -- his last hundred coming in a Test against Bangladesh.His previous best in 103 T20Is was 94 not out since his debut in 2010."The last two and a half years have taught me a lot.

I am going to turn 34 in a month," Kohli told Star Sports after his knock.He celebrated with a wave of the bat and smile and said: "So those angry celebrations are a thing of the past.

Actually I was shocked. This is the last format I thought (of scoring a century). It was an accumulation of a lot of things."Kohli recently spoke about his mental struggles and how he took a month off ahead of this Asia Cup to get back his intensity, which he "faked" during the dry run of form."The team has been open and helpful.

I know there was a lot of stuff going outside," he said."Six weeks off I was refreshed. I realised how tired I was. Competitiveness doesn't allow it, but this break allowed me enjoy the game again."Called "King Kohli", he put on an opening stand of 119 with KL Rahul, who made 62, to lay the foundations of the mammoth total as the Afghan bowlers struggled on their second

cricket win as Virat Kohli Asia Cup Ibrahim Zadran India Dubai Afghanistan Bangladesh

Rohit Sharma-led Team India defeated Australia by six wickets in the third T20I on Sunday at the Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium in Hyderabad to win the three-match series 2-1. Needing 11 runs in the final over, Virat Kohli smashed a six off the first ball bowled by Daniel Sams, but he perished the very next ball after playing a knock of 63. The equation came down to 4 off 2 balls, and it was then that Hardik Pandya managed to register a boundary to take the hosts over the line.

Women's T20 Asia Cup: India To Meet Pakistan On October 7

India will meet arch-rivals Pakistan on October 7 in the Women's T20 Asia Cup, scheduled to begin in Bangladesh's Sylhet from next month, Asian Cricket Council president Jay Shah announced on Tuesday. Seven teams will take part in the 15-day tournament, starting on October 1. The tournament will be held in a round robin format with the top four teams qualifying for the semifinals.

Women's T20 Asia Cup: India to meet arch-rivals Pakistan on October 7

Pakistan on October 7 in the Women's T20 Asia Cup, scheduled to begin in Bangladesh's Sylhet from next month, Asian Cricket Council president Jay Shah announced on Tuesday. Seven teams will take part in the 15-day tournament, starting on October 1. The tournament will be held in a round robin format with the top four teams qualifying for the semifinals.

"If You Would Have Asked Three Years Ago...": Ricky Ponting On Whether Virat Kohli Can Surpass Sachin Tendulkar's 100-Ton Tally

Surpassing Sachin Tendulkar's feat of 100 international centuries is "possible" for Virat Kohli, Australian great Ricky Ponting has said looking at the Indian superstar's new-found hunger for runs. Kohli recently ended a wait of 1,020 days for his 71st international hundred when he smashed 122 not out off 61 balls against Afghanistan in the Asia Cup earlier this month. "If you would have asked me three years ago, I'd have said yes. But the fact that it has slowed down as much as it did... yeah, I still think that it is possible for him, there's no doubt," Ponting said on The ICC Review.

"Kohli Scores 100 And...": Gambhir On "Hero Worship" In Indian Cricket

Former India opener Gautam Gambhir, who played a pivotal role in India's triumphs at the 2007 T20 World Cup and the 2011 ICC World Cup, has opened up on the problem of "hero worship" in Indian cricket. During a conversation with The Indian Express, where he was asked about the topic, Gambhir gave examples of Virat Kohli and Bhuvneshwar Kumar from the match against Afghanistan in the recently concluded Asia Cup.

Watch: Virat Kohli Arrives In Mohali Ahead Of T20I Series vs Australia

Star India batter Virat Kohli reached Mohali on Saturday ahead of India's T20I series against Australia. The first match between India and Australia will be played at the Punjab Cricket Association Stadium in Mohali. The PCA took to Twitter to share a video of Kohli arriving at the airport in Mohali. Kohli was accompanied by police officers and security personnel. "Look who's here," the PCA wrote in their tweet, along with a heart-eyes emoji. "Welcome @imVkohli to the city beautiful."