India’s star batter Virat Kohli etched his name deeper into cricket history on Sunday by becoming the fastest player to score 28,000 runs in international cricket. He achieved the milestone during the opening One Day International against the New Zealand national cricket team.
Kohli reached the landmark in just 624 innings. He bettered the long-standing record of Sachin Tendulkar, who needed 644 innings, and surpassed Kumar Sangakkara, who achieved the feat in 666 innings.
In the process, Kohli also moved past Sangakkara’s career tally of 28,016 international runs. He now trails only Tendulkar, who tops the list with 34,357 runs across formats.
Kohli entered the match needing 25 runs to reach the milestone. He got there with a crisp boundary in the 12th over. He later crossed Sangakkara’s total with a single off Michael Bracewell on the final ball of the 18th over.
Fastest to 28,000 International Runs
| Player | Innings |
|---|---|
| Virat Kohli | 624 |
| Sachin Tendulkar | 644 |
| Kumar Sangakkara | 666 |
Earlier, New Zealand posted a competitive 300 for 8 after being sent in to bat. Daryll Mitchell led the scoring with a well-made 84.
India began the chase steadily. Rohit Sharma and Shubman Gill added 39 runs for the opening stand. After Rohit fell for 26, Kohli took control of the innings.
Kohli and Gill stitched together a crucial 118-run partnership. Gill scored 56 from 71 balls, while Kohli looked set for a century. He fell for 93 off 91 deliveries, hitting eight fours and one six.
India completed a tense four-wicket win in the final over. KL Rahul stayed unbeaten on 29 to guide the hosts home and give India a 1–0 lead in the series.
