The stage is set, and the world eagerly awaits the showdown between two cricketing giants, India and Pakistan, at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad. In a match of immense significance, the superstars often shine the brightest. Among them is the Indian cricket icon Virat Kohli, who has consistently delivered when facing Pakistan.
Virat Kohli’s numbers against Pakistan in One Day Internationals (ODIs) are exceptional. He boasts an average of 55, the highest by an Indian player against Pakistan in ODIs (considering players with 15+ innings). This remarkable consistency has made him a thorn in Pakistan’s side.
Kohli averages well and maintains a strike rate of over 100 against Pakistan in ODIs. This high average and strike rate balance signifies his ability to anchor the innings while accelerating when needed.
Over the last 8 years, Kohli has notably enhanced his performances against Pakistan. His record against them in ODIs since 2015 has improved compared to his earlier showings. During this period, he boasts a staggering average of 99 against Pakistan, scoring 396 runs in just 6 innings.
Kohli’s excellence extends to ICC events as well. In 7 ODI encounters against Pakistan in ICC events, he maintains an impressive average of 63.4. Moreover, in his last 4 outings against Pakistan in ICC events, he scored a century and two fifties.
In ODI World Cup matches, Kohli achieved a historic feat. He became the first Indian cricketer to score a century against Pakistan in an ODI World Cup match.
The bowlers in Pakistan’s current ODI squad have found dismissing Virat Kohli in ODIs challenging. Apart from Shaheen Afridi, no other bowler from the squad has managed to get him out.
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Kohli recently etched his name in the record books by becoming the batsman with the most runs in ICC World Cups, which include white-ball formats such as ODIs and T20Is.
As the 2023 ODI World Cup unfolds, Kohli is on the cusp of reaching significant milestones. He needs 56 runs to become the 4th highest run-scorer in ODI World Cups (currently 7th). Additionally, one more fifty-plus score will propel him into the top-5 list of most fifty-plus scores in ODI World Cups.
This year, Kohli has shifted his batting approach, playing with a higher strike rate of 105. This rate is the second-best by any batter in ODIs this year, signaling a more aggressive style of play.
