Virat Kohli and Co leapfrog Australia to register most 300-plus scores in ODIs

New Delhi: Team India continued their impressive form to secure a 105-run victory over West Indies in the second ODI of the 5-match series on Sunday. The win not just ensured India a 1-0 lead, but also pushed them past Australia as the side with most number of 300-plus totals in One-Day Internationals.

Ajinkya Rahane`s third hundred and a blistering assault by captain Virat Kohli lifted India to a formidable 310 for five at the end of innings.

Having dominated a 97-run second-wicket partnership with Rahane, Kohli took centre stage in the final assault and seemed destined to reach another ODI hundred to the delight of a decent contingent of visiting Indian fans when he was caught at long-off by Nurse off Alzarri Joseph for 87 off 66 balls in the penultimate over, a thoroughly entertaining effort highlighted by four towering sixes and four fours.

West Indies' indiscipline in the field added to the challenge and their woes were encapsulated by a horrific final over of the innings delivered by their captain Jason Holder.

He conceded 20 runs, bowled three no balls and had to be pulled out of the attack with one ball left in the innings because two of those no balls were delivered over waist-high to the batsman on strike. 

The top three consisting of Rahane, Dhawan and Kohli, contributed most to take India past 300 for the 96th time in ODIs, hence registering a new world record to the team's name. Previous record holders, Australia had done so a total of 95 times. 

India and Australia are also the only countries in 90s, while South Africa, the world No.1 ranked ODI team, are at third having crossed the 300-run mark 77 times.

In the 96 occasions that India have gone past 300-run total, they have come out victorious on 75 occasions and faced defeat 19 times. The Men in Blue might have reached the milestone most number of times but they also hold the embarrassing record of incurring most number of losses in the list. Australia have won 84 out of the 95 times while posting a total in excess of 300 while South Africa have ended up on the losing side only seven times.

India amassed a 300-plus total in ODIs for the first time in 1996 against arch-rivals Pakistan in Sharjah when they smashed 305/5, while their first 400-plus total in the format came against Bermuda in the 2007 World Cup.

(With AFP inputs)