Virat Kohli once again proved why he remains one of cricket’s finest as he etched his name into the record books during a high-octane day of action in the Vijay Hazare Trophy on Thursday. Representing Delhi against Gujarat, Kohli smashed a fluent 77 off just 61 balls, narrowly missing out on a second consecutive century. Despite falling short of three figures, the knock was historic it helped Kohli surpass Australian great Michael Bevan to claim the highest batting average in List A cricket history. Kohli’s average now stands at an astonishing 57.87.
Delhi, however, could not fully capitalise on Kohli’s brilliance. Apart from a composed 70 by captain Rishabh Pant and a fighting 40 from Harsh Tyagi, the batting line-up faltered, finishing at 254/9 in 50 overs. Gujarat began their chase steadily, keeping themselves in contention early on.
Elsewhere, the tournament witnessed explosive performances across venues. Uttar Pradesh skipper Rinku Singh lit up the day with a breathtaking unbeaten 106 off just 60 balls against Chandigarh, bringing up his century in only 58 deliveries. His innings powered UP to a mammoth 367/4, one of the highest totals of the season so far. Teammate Aryan Juyal also starred with a classy century, underlining UP’s batting dominance.
Maharashtra opener Prithvi Shaw was equally destructive, racing to 32 with six boundaries as his side cruised in a modest chase against Sikkim. Mumbai, despite Rohit Sharma’s shocking first-ball dismissal for a golden duck, posted a strong 331/7 thanks largely to a fluent 93 from wicketkeeper Hardik Tamore.
Among the bowlers, Khaleel Ahmed impressed with figures of 4/49 for Rajasthan, while Mohammed Shami struck early for Bengal, though his team was bundled out for just 205.
With records tumbling and star players delivering standout performances, the Vijay Hazare Trophy continues to offer a compelling showcase of India’s domestic cricket depth and firepower.
