Najmul Hossain Shanto, Bangladesh's stand-in captain, has dismissed any notion of spinner Nasum Ahmed deliberately delivering a wide ball to prevent Virat Kohli from reaching a century during their ICC World Cup 2023 showdown.
Kohli was at 97 not out, with just two runs needed for India to secure their 257-run target. In a pivotal moment, Ahmed's leg-side delivery escaped the wide call from on-field umpire Richard Kettleborough, stirring speculation.
Shanto came to Ahmed's defense following Bangladesh's third consecutive loss, emphasizing their desire to engage in a "roper match."
“No, no. There was no such plan. It was a normal plan. No bowler had the intention to bowl a wide ball. We tried to play a proper game. It was not intentional,” Shanto said in a press conference.
Kohli wrapped up the match in the 42nd over, clearing the boundary for a six and remaining unbeaten at 103 runs, sealing India's comfortable victory. This remarkable performance marked his 48th century in One Day Internationals (ODIs) and his 78th century in international cricket, showcasing his exceptional batting prowess and contributing to India's win.
Virat Kohli continues to shatter records in an extraordinary succession
Virat Kohli achieved a historic milestone on October 19, becoming the quickest cricketer to reach 26,000 international runs, surpassing Sachin Tendulkar's record. Prior to the Bangladesh match, Kohli had accumulated 25,923 runs in 566 innings. This remarkable feat was accomplished with a splendid six in a World Cup match held in Pune.
Currently, Kohli ranks as the fourth-highest run-scorer in global cricket. Accumulating 26,026 runs in 567 innings across all formats, he boasts an impressive record of 78 centuries and 134 half-centuries. The three players ahead of him in terms of total runs are Ricky Ponting (27,483), Kumara Sangakkara (28,016), and Sachin Tendulkar (34,357). Meanwhile, he surpassed Mahela Jayawardene (25,957) who is now positioned at number five in the list of top run-scorers.
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