AHMEDABAD (Web Desk) – India’s run-scoring machine Virat Kohli has been named the ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup 2023 player of the tournament.
Kohli’s brilliance with the bat was a defining feature of the tournament, with India’s number three scoring at least a half-century in nine of his 11 innings.
His 765 runs in the tournament is the most ever scored by an individual batter at a men’s Cricket World Cup, surpassing the previous record set by Sachin Tendulkar, who hit 673 in the 2003 tournament.
Kohli finished with an average of 95.62 and a strike rate of 90.31 in the tournament, hitting three centuries along the way – against Bangladesh and South Africa in the league stage and then once more against New Zealand in the semi-finals.
That third century took Kohli’s career tally to 50 One Day International hundreds, making him the leading century-maker in the history of the format.
Kohli broke Tendulkar’s long-standing record at the ‘Little Master’s’ home ground, the Wankhede Stadium, and said that it was the perfect moment.
"This all feels like a dream," Kohli said after his 117 steered India to the final.
"If I could paint the perfect picture, I would want this to be the picture. My life partner, the person I love the most, she is sitting there. My hero Sachin is sitting there. I was able to get the 50th in front of them and these fans in such a historic venue. It’s amazing."
Kohli finished his tournament with yet another half-century, hitting 54 from 63 balls against Australia in the final. But his efforts proved in vain as India missed out on victory, falling at the final hurdle.