Virat Kohli, Team India’s veteran hitter, has been on a tear with the willow in the current 2023 ODI World Cup. He has scored 354 runs in six innings, with an average of 88.50 and a strike rate of 88.50.
The 34-year-old opened his World Cup campaign with a courageous 85 off 116 balls against Australia in Chennai, rescuing India from a difficult situation. He struck a terrific 95 against New Zealand after a magnificent 95 against Bangladesh in Pune.
In India’s last encounter against England in Lucknow, Kohli had a rare setback when he was removed for a nine-ball duck. The right-handed hitter, who turns 35 on November 5, will be eager to get back among the runs when India takes on Sri Lanka at Mumbai’s Wankhede Stadium on Thursday.
Virat Kohli has played 52 one-day internationals against Sri Lanka, accumulating 2506 runs at an amazing average of 62.65 with 10 hundreds. In fact, his first ODI century came against the island country in December 2009, when he hit 107 off 114 as India successfully chased down 316 with seven wickets in hand at the Eden Gardens in Kolkata.
Virat Kohli’s highest ODI score against Sri Lanka was 166* in Thiruvananthapuram in January 2023. He hammered his runs off 110 balls as India posted 390/5 and then dismissed Sri Lanka for 73.
During the Commonwealth Bank Series in Hobart in February 2012, the right-handed hitter hit 133* off 86 balls. Virat Kohli unleashed a ferocious assault on the Lankan spinners, notably Lasith Malinga, as India smashed a target of 321 in 36.4 overs.
Other ODI scores by the former Indian captain against Sri Lanka are 128* off 119 balls in Colombo in July 2012, 139* off 126 balls in Ranchi in November 2014, and 131 off 96 balls in Colombo in August 2017.
Virat Kohli’s ODI World Cup record Over Sri Lanka
Kohli participated in two ODI World Cup games against Sri Lanka, collecting 69 runs. He played at the 2011 World Cup final in Mumbai’s Wankhede Stadium. As an expert batter, he made 35 runs from 49 balls. Alongside Gautam Gambhir, he contributed to a significant 83-run third-wicket partnership.
The right-handed batsman contributed an unbeaten 34 off 41 balls as India chased down 265 in 43.3 overs with seven wickets in hand.