Indian cricket maestro Virat Kohli made one other mark in cricket history during the Asia Cup Super 4 clash against arch-rivals Pakistan at the R. Premadasa Stadium in Colombo, where he became the fastest player to reach 13,000 runs in the ODI format. In a breathtaking display of batting mastery, Kohli not only surpassed this monumental milestone but also forged an extraordinary partnership with KL Rahul, creating new records along the way.
Quickest to 13,000 ODI runs
| Player | Inns |
| Virat Kohli | 267 |
| Sachin Tendulkar | 321 |
| Ricky Ponting | 341 |
| Kumar Sangakkara | 363 |
| Sanath Jayasuriya | 416 |
Kohli’s achievement is nothing short of remarkable as he broke a long-standing record held by the legendary Sachin Tendulkar. The masterful batsman is now the fifth player to reach the 13,000-run mark in men’s ODIs, joining the elite club alongside Tendulkar, Ricky Ponting, Sanath Jayasuriya, and Mahela Jayawardene.
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While Tendulkar took 321 innings to reach this milestone, Kohli achieved the feat in an astonishing 267 innings, solidifying his status as the quickest to the milestone. Ponting (341) and Sangakkara (363) also took over 300 innings, while Jayasuriya reached the mark in 416 innings.
Notably, Kohli is the lone batter among these cricket greats to maintain an average above 50, further emphasizing his remarkable consistency and skill. With 47 ODI hundreds to his name, Kohli is now just two centuries away from equaling Tendulkar’s illustrious record tally of ODI tons.
Most runs in men’s ODIs
| Player | Innings | Runs | Ave | Hundreds |
| Sachin Tendulkar | 452 | 18426 | 44.83 | 49 |
| Kumar Sangakkara | 380 | 14234 | 41.98 | 25 |
| Ricky Ponting | 365 | 13704 | 42.03 | 30 |
| Sanath Jayasuriya | 433 | 13430 | 32.36 | 28 |
| Virat Kohli | 267 | 13024 | 57.62 | 47 |
Kohli’s monumental innings against Pakistan showcased his prowess and determination. He resumed from his score of seven overnight and navigated an early review for a caught-behind dismissal off Naseem Shah’s bowling. Following this, Kohli demonstrated pristine touch and finesse at the crease, combining with KL Rahul to consolidate India’s strong start.
Kohli’s love affair with the R Premadasa stadium in Colombo continued as he averaged an astonishing 128.20 at the venue in ODIs. With this latest century, he secured his fourth successive hundred at the venue in ODIs, having also achieved this feat in 2012 and twice in 2017 against Sri Lanka.
His exceptional average of 128.20 at a single venue in ODIs is a record in itself, further highlighting his mastery at this ground.
Kohli’s remarkable achievement in becoming the fastest to 13,000 ODI runs solidifies his position among the legends of the game. His astonishing average of 57.62 in the ODI format, second only to Babar Azam for batters with over 100 appearances, is a testament to his unparalleled batting prowess.
Adding to the spectacle of this memorable match, Kohli was part of a record-breaking 233-run partnership (unbeaten) with KL Rahul, the highest for India against Pakistan in ODIs. This partnership surpassed the 231-run stand between Navjot Singh Sidhu and Sachin Tendulkar in Sharjah in 1996. It is also India’s second-highest for the third wicket in ODIs, following the Rahul Dravid-Tendulkar partnership of 237* against Kenya in the 1999 Cricket World Cup.
Coming to his performance in the Asia Cup, Kohli boasts an astonishing average of 67.18 in 14 Asia Cup ODI matches, including four centuries, all while maintaining a strike rate of over 100. His tally of centuries places him joint second-best with Kumar Sangakkara, trailing only Kumar Jayasuriya (6 hundreds). Kohli’s highest individual score of 183 against Pakistan in the 2012 Asia Cup remains the record for the highest individual score in the tournament’s history.
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