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Virat Kohli surpasses Lara, Ponting and Kallis to create some amazing records with half-century in 3rd ODI despite India's loss

By Karan Rawat Mar 23, 2023, 18:59 IST

The third and final ODI game between India and Australia ended in favor of the visitors. With both teams winning one game apiece, the series decider took place at the MA Chidambaram Stadium in Chennai on Wednesday. Australia registered a 21-run victory and broke India's bilateral series winning streak.

Australia won the series 2-1, and India lost the first bilateral series at home since 2019. It looked like India's game to some extent, but Australia came back brilliantly. Australia set a target of 270 runs for India to win. Chasing the target, India got dismissed for just 248 runs, losing the match and the series.

The only batter to score a half-century in the match from both teams was the former Indian skipper Virat Kohli, who registered his 65th ODI fifty. Although, India lost the series, Virat broke a few big records during his inning.

The 34-year-old scored 54 off 72 balls, including two fours and one six. It was an inning of complete dedication. During his knock, he went past the World Cup-winning Australia captain Ricky Ponting and became the batter with the second-highest ODI total at home.

Virat has now scored 5447 ODI runs in 110 games, while Ponting scored 5406 runs in 153 matches in his career. Sachin Tendulkar is leading the chart with 6976 runs at home in 164 games. Furthermore, Virat also matches the former West Indian great Desmond Haynes for joint-third most fifties against the Australia team.

Haynes had 19 fifties and Virat has also the same now. He went past Brain Lara's record of 18 half-centuries against Australia. Sachin Tendulkar with 24 and Viv Richards with 23 half-centuries are at the top of the list.

With his 54-run knock, Virat also broke the record of former South African star Jacques Kallis for the second-most number of half-centuries on home soil. Kallis had 46 fifties at home, and Virat has now scored 47 ODI fifties. Sachin is again at the top of the list with 58 fifties at home.