Star batsman Virat Kohli surpassed Sachin Tendulkar to clinch the most Player of the Tournament awards in international cricket. The ICC recognized Kohli’s exceptional performance by awarding him the prestigious title.
Kohli scored a record-breaking 765 runs in 11 innings, the highest ever by a batter in a single edition of the World Cup. With an impressive average of 95.62 and a strike rate of 90.3, Kohli’s consistent and dominant batting played a pivotal role in India’s journey.
Notably, Kohli also etched his name in history by achieving his 50th ODI century in this edition, surpassing Sachin Tendulkar’s longstanding record of 49 ODI centuries. Additionally, Kohli now boasts more Player of the Tournament awards than the cricket legend.
However, despite Kohli’s individual success, India faced disappointment in the highly anticipated final against Australia at the Narendra Modi Stadium. Australia’s formidable bowling attack limited India to a modest total of 240. KL Rahul emerged as the top scorer with 66 runs. Mitchell Starc’s exceptional bowling figures of 3/55 played a crucial role in restricting India’s batting prowess.
Australia, facing a challenging target, overcame early setbacks and secured a 6-wicket victory with a spectacular 192-run partnership between Travis Head (137) and Marnus Labuschagne (58). Head’s outstanding contribution earned him the “Player of the Match” award.
Ultimately, Australia’s triumph marked their sixth ODI World Cup title, underscoring their dominance in the premier cricket tournament. While Kohli’s individual brilliance shone throughout the tournament, the team fell short of claiming the ultimate prize.