"A wide bowled intentionally to prevent a century - Mohammad Kaif praises Virat Kohli's World Cup 2023 performance against Bangladesh"

Virat Kohli's remarkable century in India's World Cup 2023 win against Bangladesh praised by Mohammad Kaif.

In a thrilling match against Bangladesh in the World Cup 2023, Virat Kohli displayed his exceptional batting skills, earning praise from former cricketer Mohammad Kaif. The Bangla Tigers had set a challenging target of 257 runs for the Men in Blue in Pune on October 19. However, Kohli rose to the occasion and delivered an outstanding performance, scoring an unbeaten 103 off 97 deliveries. With the support of his teammates, including Rohit Sharma, India successfully chased down the target with seven wickets and 51 deliveries to spare.

During a discussion on Star Sports, Kaif commended Kohli for achieving a seemingly impossible century, especially considering that Nasum Ahmed seemed to intentionally bowl a ball down the leg side to prevent him from reaching the milestone. Kaif expressed his admiration, stating, "I won't be able to forget this century throughout my life because when he walked out to bat, 169 runs were required for a win. It seemed unlikely to score a century at that point, but he defied the odds and scored an unbeaten 103."

Kaif also highlighted Kohli's intelligent batting strategy, mentioning his ability to take last-ball singles to retain the strike. He noted that a wide was deliberately bowled to prevent Kohli from reaching his century, emphasizing the bowler's plan. Kaif questioned how a spinner could bowl a wide, further emphasizing the extraordinary nature of Kohli's achievement.

The match reached a crucial point when India needed two runs for victory and Kohli required three runs for his century. Nasum bowled a ball down the leg side, but the on-field umpire did not signal a wide as Kohli had seemingly moved outside the leg stump before the delivery. Undeterred, Kohli hit a six to reach his hundred, showcasing his determination and skill.

Kaif was also asked about Kohli refraining from playing the pull shot, which had led to his previous dismissals. Kaif explained that Kohli showed respect by opting for drives instead. He emphasized that Kohli didn't hit fours every time he played the drive, but also took singles to rotate the strike effectively. Kaif highlighted Kohli's ability to score singles to deep point and run after hitting the ball to mid-off and mid-on.

In conclusion, Kaif praised Kohli for his exceptional batting display, particularly his ability to take improbable singles and finish the game with a memorable six. He commended Kohli's fitness and determination, mentioning how he even put in a dive while running between the wickets. Kaif also acknowledged the moment when Kohli lifted his bat after scoring the century, highlighting the significance of the achievement.

Kohli's innings included six fours and four sixes. This century marked his first in a World Cup run chase, leaving him just one century short of Sachin Tendulkar's record of 49 ODI tons.

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