MANCHESTER: Virat Kohli on Thursday became the fastest batsman to reach 20,000 international runs as he anchored India’s innings against the West Indies in the World Cup match in Manchester.
Kohli reached the landmark in his 417th innings with a single off West Indies skipper Jason Holder — India’s Sachin Tendulkar and Caribbean batsman Brian Lara both required 453 international innings to reach the landmark.
The West Indies bowlers, led by paceman Kemar Roach, kept India in check with regular wickets.
Kohli’s team reached 148 for four in 30 overs after electing to bat first at Old Trafford.
Roach struck in the sixth over to have Rohit Sharma controversially caught behind off a delivery that pitched on a good length and jagged back sharply into the right-handed batsman.
The on-field umpire gave Sharma not out but the West Indies successfully reviewed the decision, with technology appearing to indicate a spike in sound as the ball squeezed through the gap between bat and pad.
Sharma was surprised and disappointed as he walked back to the dressing room.
“That was a tricky decision, even with the amount of replays you can have, to be 100 percent sure it’s either one or the other,” England Test bowler James Anderson told the BBC.
KL Rahul was the next to fall, for 48, bowled by a sharp in-cutter from Holder.
Roach came roaring in during his second spell to have Vijay Shankar caught behind for 14 and then sent back Kedar Jadhav with a delivery that pitched and straightened.
Jadhav was given not out only for the West Indies to successfully review the decision.
Kohli completed his fourth successive fifty in the tournament and was joined by wicketkeeper-batsman M.S. Dhoni at the crease.
Defeat for West Indies, who have only won one of their six matches, would snuff out their already remote chances of reaching the semi-finals.
