Virat Kohli surpassed the legendary Sachin Tendulkar as the international batsman with the most centuries in ODI cricket, achieving his 50th ODI ton against New Zealand in the Cricket World Cup 2023 semifinal at Mumbai's Wankhede Stadium. Kohli displayed incredible form, reaching this milestone in 106 balls, aided by 8 boundaries and a six. Prior to the match, Kohli was tied with Sachin at 49 centuries, and his exceptional innings secured his place in history. Additionally, this marked Kohli's eighth fifty-plus score in the 2023 World Cup, setting a record for the highest such scores in a single edition of the tournament.
The sporting world took to social media to shower praise on Virat Kohli for this remarkable achievement. From Novak Djokovic to Sachin Tendulkar, sporting personalities from across the world expressed their awe from Virat Kohli’s achievement as riding on his hundred, India secured a place in the finals, beating the Kiwis by 70 runs.
Star tennis player Novak Djokovic applauded Kohli for creating history with a picture on story through his official Instagram handle. He wrote: "Congratulations Virat. Legendary."