Virat Kohli struck an unbeaten 139 from 88 balls as India beat West Indies by eight wickets in the first ODI, reaching 296 in 41.4 overs to take a 1-0 lead in the three-match series.
Kohli’s innings on 27 September brought a series of major landmarks. His 55th ODI century made him only the second batter to exceed 15,000 runs in the format after Sachin Tendulkar, while his 60th hundred in List A cricket drew him level with Tendulkar’s record.
India completed the chase with 50 balls unused after West Indies had made 295-7 from their 50 overs. Kohli ended the match with consecutive sixes and finished with 10 fours and nine sixes, the latter his highest total of sixes in an ODI innings.
Kohli reaches two Tendulkar landmarks
The century was Kohli’s 55th in ODIs and came from 74 deliveries. He reached 15,000 ODI runs during the innings, doing so in 303 innings. Tendulkar had required 377 innings to reach the same mark, according to Wisden and Sky Sports Cricket.
Kohli is the second player to pass 15,000 ODI runs, following Tendulkar, whose career total was reported by Sky Sports Cricket as 18,426. The pace of Kohli’s progress gives the milestone added weight: he reached it 74 innings sooner than Tendulkar.
His latest hundred was also his 60th in List A cricket. Wisden reported that Kohli had reached that total in 338 innings, compared with Tendulkar’s 538. The pair now share the most List A hundreds recorded in the source’s table, ahead of England pair Graham Gooch and Graeme Hick.
Kohli came in after Rohit’s dismissal in the 12th over and reached double figures within four balls, according to Wisden. He brought up his fifty from 40 deliveries before moving past 15,000 ODI runs with a boundary off Alzarri Joseph in the 29th over. His acceleration continued after the century: Wisden reported that he scored 39 runs from his final 14 balls. The unbeaten finish ensured that India did not need to expose further batters during a chase which had begun with a target of 296.
Speaking after the match, Kohli said his focus had not been on personal milestones and that he remained grateful for the opportunity to play for India and contribute to the side.
Gill century accelerates India’s chase
Shubman Gill also made a century, scoring 110 from 108 balls for his 10th ODI hundred. India had lost Rohit Sharma for 32 from 35 balls in the 12th over, after the openers added 74 in 72 deliveries, but Kohli and Gill quickly put the chase in India’s control.
The second-wicket pair shared 151 runs from 132 balls before Gill was dismissed in the 34th over. Kohli had reached his half-century from 40 balls and then increased the pace, scoring 39 of his eventual 139 runs from his final 14 deliveries.
Sky Sports Cricket reported that Alzarri Joseph, who dismissed Sharma, returned figures of 1-81. Roston Chase removed Gill and finished with 1-64, but neither wicket prevented Kohli from completing the chase with a six.
West Indies had earlier built a promising platform through Justin Greaves, whose 101 from 108 balls was his maiden ODI hundred. Greaves and John Campbell, who made 62 from 60 deliveries, added 135 for the opening wicket inside the first 20 overs.
Kuldeep Yadav checked that momentum with 4-40, accounting for both openers as West Indies slipped to 198-5 by the 36th over. Amir Jangoo’s unbeaten 58 from 43 balls carried the visitors to 295-7, but Kohli and Gill’s partnership made that target insufficient.
India’s reply moved quickly after Sharma’s departure. Wisden reported that Kohli took three consecutive boundaries from Joseph in the 29th over, with the second taking him beyond 15,000 ODI runs. Gill’s dismissal at the start of the 34th over ended the partnership, but Kohli brought up his hundred with a six against Gudakesh Motie in the 38th. His final burst, capped by two successive sixes, ensured India reached their target with 8.2 overs still available.
The second ODI is scheduled to be played in Guwahati on 30 September. India’s emphatic opening result gives them the early advantage, while Kohli’s innings has placed two of the format’s most notable individual records alongside a decisive team win.