India batter says Sachin Tendulkar’s message is ‘special’ after equalling his world record
ESPNcricinfo staff05-Nov-20231:29
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“I had this sense of ‘it’s going to be something more,’ today rather than ‘it’s just one more game in the World Cup.’ I did wake up with that excitement, yes,” Virat Kohli said after his match-winning 101 not out off 121 balls against South Africa in Kolkata, on his 35th birthday, an innings that brought him level with Sachin Tendulkar’s world record of 49 ODI hundreds.”It was a big game,” Kohli said after winning the Player of the Match award. “We were probably playing the toughest team in the tournament that we had played so far, to be honest. They played some amazing cricket. There was this motivation of wanting to do well for the team. Because it happened on my birthday, people made it a bit more special for me. I had this sense of ‘it’s going to be something more today’ rather than ‘it’s just one more game in the World Cup’. I did wake up with that excitement, yes.”Related
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After Kohli completed his 49th hundred, Tendulkar posted a congratulatory message on the social media platform X, saying: “Well played Virat. It took me 365 days to go from 49 to 50 earlier this year. I hope you go from 49 to 50 and break my record in the next few days. Congratulations!!”When asked about Tendulkar’s message and his achievement, an emotional Kohli said, “it’s all too much to take in right now.””Tendulkar’s message is quite special. For me, it’s all too much to take in right now, to be honest, to equal my hero’s record in one-day internationals is something that’s a huge honour for me. I know that people like comparisons, I am never going to be as good as him. There’s a reason why we all looked up to him. He’s perfection when it comes to batting. I am trying to do my best, trying to win games for my country. He’s always going to be my hero regardless of what happens. It’s a very emotional moment for me. I know where I come from, the days that I watched him play on TV. So to stand here and get this appreciation from someone like him means a lot to me.”
Well played Virat.
It took me 365 days to go from 49 to 50 earlier this year. I hope you go from 49 to 50 and break my record in the next few days.
Congratulations!!#INDvSA pic.twitter.com/PVe4iXfGFk— Sachin Tendulkar (@sachin_rt) November 5, 2023