Virat Kohli becomes fastest batsman to score 20,000 international runs, breaks Sachin's record

Virat Kohli broke the record set by legendary Indian batsman Sachin Tendulkar and West Indies great Brian Lara by scoring 20,000 runs in just 417 innings.

Image Courtesy: Reuters

MANCHESTER: India skipper Virat Kohli became the fastest batsman to score 20,000 international runs when he scored 37 runs against West Indies at the Old Trafford, Manchester, on Thursday. Kohli needed 37 runs to reach the landmark and the Indian captain created history during the 25th over of Team India's innings against West Indies.

Kohli broke the record set by legendary Indian batsman Sachin Tendulkar and West Indies great Brian Lara by scoring 20,000 runs in just 417 innings (131 in Tests, 224 in ODIs and 62 in T20Is). It is to be noted that both Tendulkar and Lara had achieved this feat in 453 innings. Former Australian skipper Ricky Ponting had scored 20,000 runs in 468 innings.

Kohli has now become the 12th batsman to achieve this extraordinary feat and the third Indian after Tendulkar (34,357 runs) and Rahul Dravid (24,208 runs). The 30-yer-old Kohli is looking in superb form in the ongoing Cricket World Cup.

The Indian skipper failed to score big against South Africa in the World Cup opener, but he returned to form in the match against Australia and scored 82 runs. Kohli continued his good form against Pakistan and Afghanistan scoring 77 runs and 67 runs respectively. Kohli also became the fastest batsman to score 11,000 ODI runs during the innings against Pakistan at the same ground on June 16.

The Men In Blue are on course to reach the semi-finals of the Cricket World Cup 2019 as the 1983 and 2011 World Cup winners have won all their four completed matches so far. The match against New Zealand was abandoned without a ball bowled due to heavy rains.