Virat Kohli’s incredible century guided India towards dominant six-wicket win against Pakistan in ICC Champions Trophy 2025. Virat Kohli struggled for runs heading into the Champions Trophy 2025. Virat Kohli was dismissed cheaply in the first match against Bangladesh. However, he oozed class in the highly-anticipated clash between India and Pakistan at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium, on Sunday, February 23.
The legendary batter Virat Kohli scored an unbeaten century (100* off 111 balls), hitting seven boundaries, as he helped India chase down a 242-run target with six wickets and 7.3 overs to spare. Notably, this was Virat Kohli’s record-extending 51st ODI ton and the first in the format since the one he scored against New Zealand in the 2023 ODI World Cup semi-final.
Virat Kohli scores 51st ODI century and surpasses 14K runs in ODI cricket
Virat Kohli scored his 51st century against Pakistan and former England captains Michael Atherton and Nasser Hussain have expressed their admiration for Virat Kohli’s incredible ODI record, with both agreeing that the Indian batting star could be regarded as one of the greatest to ever play the format. Virat Kohli’s brilliant unbeaten 100, his 51st century in ODIs, was a match-winning knock that guided India to a six-wicket victory over Pakistan in the Champions Trophy clash in Dubai on Sunday.
Virat Kohli’s incredible century guided India towards dominant six-wicket win against Pakistan in ICC Champions Trophy 2025. With this knock Kohli etched his name in history by surpassing Sachin Tendulkar’s record as the fastest player to reach 14,000 runs. He also became the fastest player to cross the 9,000, 10,000, 11,000, 12,000 and 13,000 runs milestone.
En route his century in his 299th 50-over appearance, Kohli became the fastest batter to reach 14,000 ODI runs, joining the elite group of Sachin Tendulkar (18,426 in 452 innings) and Kumar Sangakkara (14,234 in 380 innings). In awe of Virat Kohli’s formidable ODI statistics, former England captains Michael Atherton and Nasser Hussain believe that the Indian mainstay is probably the best batsman in the history of the format.
Former England Captain Micheal Atherton Heaps Huge Praise For Virat Kohli After 51st Century In Champions Trophy 2025
Virat Kohli has once again proved why he is the best when it comes to chasing targets in ODI cricket, and former England captain Michael Atherton believes that there is no one who has been doing fantastically better than the Indian batting icon.
With 28 centuries in successful ODI chases, Virat Kohli is far ahead of great players like Sachin Tendulkar, who has 17, and Rohit Sharma, who has 16. His 51st ODI century came in the ICC Champions Trophy 2025 group match against Pakistan in Dubai, where he remained unbeaten and helped India to win the match by six wickets on Sunday (February 23).
Michael Atherton and Nasser Hussain has unanimously called Virat Kohli the best ODI cricketer of all time. Against Pakistan on Sunday in the ongoing Champions Trophy, Virat Kohli became the fastest batter and third man to reach 14,000 runs. He powered the chase to finish on 100 not out — hitting the winning boundary — as India beat Pakistan by six wickets with 45 balls remaining.
“Virat Kohli in a run-chase in 50-over cricket, there’s been nobody better in the history of the game, really,” said Michael Atherton on “Sky Sports Podcast”.
“51 century is an unbelievable number.”
India’s Sachin Tendulkar was the previous quickest batter to reach 14,000 ODI runs, taking 350 innings. Sachin Tendulkar still tops the overall ODI runs scored with 18,426 in 452 innings. Another retired batting great, Sri Lankan Kumar Sangakkara, finished his career with 14,234 runs in 380 innings.
“I mean, he’s got 51 and he passed 14,000 runs, which only Tendulkar and Sangakkara have got past that mark in one-day cricket,” said Atherton.
“And he got them in 60-odd innings quicker than Sachin, and I think about 90-odd innings quicker than Kumar. So, I mean, ODI is probably his best. You know, he’s been a great all-format player, clearly, but you’d probably say that ODI is his absolute best format,” he said.
Nasser Hussain also showered praise on Virat Kohli.
“He’s been an incredible player. Yeah, and you’d have to say probably the best player in ODIs of all time, really, with those stats you mentioned,” said Hussain.
“You’d have Tendulkar in the same conversation. Kumar, you’d have AB de Villiers. They’ve been some great ones, but he’s right at the top of the tree.
“If you ask India what did they want yesterday, beat Pakistan and get Kohli back in nick, they’ve got both of those.” concluded Hussain
With the win over Pakistan, India now has a week off before their crucial final group-stage match against New Zealand on Sunday in Dubai. Team India have already progressed to the semi-finals of the Champions Trophy 2025. Their last group-stage game, which is a mere formality. The Men in Blue will be playing against New Zealand on March 2.