IND vs NED: Kohli becomes 2nd highest run-getter in T20 WC, moves closer to Jayawardene’s tally

Virat Kohli continued his rich form in the T20 World Cup 2022 edition as India thrashed the Netherlands by 56 runs in their second Super 12 game, on Thursday (October 27) at the SCG, Sydney. Opting to bat first, India rode on skipper Rohit Sharma’s 53, Kohli’s unbeaten 44-ball 62 and Suryakumar Yadav’s 25-ball 51 not out to post 179 for 2 in 20 overs.

In reply, Netherlands were never in the hunt and only managed 123 for 9 with Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Arshdeep Singh, Axar Patel and R Ashwin taking two wickets apiece. After another terrific knock under his belt, the 33-year-old Kohli surpassed Universe Boss Chris Gayle to become the second highest run-getter in the T20 WC history. Gayle has 965 runs whereas Kohli’s tally now reads 989, only 27 behind the top-ranked Mahela Jayawardene (1,016).

Most runs in T20 WC history

1016 – Mahela Jayawardene (Sri Lanka)

989* – Virat Kohli (India)

965 – Chris Gayle (West Indies)

904* – Rohit Sharma (India)

897 – Tillakaratne Dilshan (Sri Lanka)

778* – David Warner (Australia)

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Kohli has as many as 12 half-centuries in the format with an astonishing average of 89.90. Meanwhile, Indian captain Rohit also moved up the ladder to go past Tillakaratne Dilshan (897) to take the fourth spot after his 39-ball 53-run-knock versus the Dutch line-up.

At the post-match presentation, Rohit said, “Lucky for us, we had a few days to get over that special win. As soon as the game got over, we came to Sydney and regrouped. We have to move on now, and the focus was on this game where we wanted to come out and get those two points. I thought it was a clinical win. Looking at the way they have qualified for the Super 12s, credit to them. We however always looked to what we can do with ourselves, not bother about the opposition. To be honest, this was a near perfect win. Yes, we played a little slow at the start but that was the conversation between me and Virat, we had to wait on that surface to play the big shots. Not too happy with my fifty, but what’s important is getting runs – doesn’t matter if they are good looking runs or ugly runs. At the end of the day, it is about keeping the confidence up.”

India next face South Africa on October 30 (Sunday) at Perth Stadium, Perth.