‘Mindset always help the team’: Virat Kohli as India clinch record ODI win
Former Indian skipper Virat Kohli contributed massive 166 runs off 110 balls to India’s victory over Sri Lanka in the third ODI to clinch the ODI series 3-0 against the Asian Champions. He knocked off the Sri Lankan bowlers and inched closer to some of the best records in the world of cricket.
“It (the awards) is the by-product of the intent I have,” Kohli, who hit his 74th international century.
The man of the series, Kohli said, “I was happy to be batting out there and in that space I end up playing good cricket. I am in a nice space right now, just (trying to) be organic.”
“Mindset is always to help the team as much as I can, bat for as long as possible and put the team in a strong position. I have always played for the right reasons, help the team as much as possible,” he added.
He said that he is not desperate for milestones after his unbeaten 166 helped India crush Sri Lanka by 317 runs and record the highest ever victory margin in a one-day international.
The Indian star cricketer became the fifth-highest run-scorer in history of ODI cricket on 15 January after overtaking Sri Lankan legend Mahela Jayawardene to enter into top-five.
Kohli, 34, has amassed 12,754 runs in 268 ODI matches for India, behind Sachin Tendulkar (18,426), Kumar Sangakkara (14,234), Ricky Ponting (13,704) and Sanath Jayasuriya (13,430).
The ODI win came after the Hardik Pandya-led young Indian team defeated the Sri Lankans in the T20 series 2-1 earlier this year. The margin of victory is the biggest in the history of men’s One Day International cricket.
(With inputs from agencies)
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