Team India scripted a brilliant victory in the first match of the ongoing 3-match One Day International (ODI) series, which was also Virat Kohli’s first match as India’s full-time captain. Chasing a massive total of 350, India lost early wickets but it was the partnership between Virat Kohli and Kedar Jadhav that did it for India. Both, Kohli and Jadhav, scored hundreds and helped India cross the line in the first match of the big series.
Here, The Cricket Lounge’s Shobit Acharya lists India’s top 5 run-chases in ODI cricket.
5) 330/4 against Pakistan, Dhaka, 2012
This match will always be remembered for Virat Kohli’s 183-run marathon knock. This run-chases came in Asia Cup 2012 in which Pakistan batted first and posted a mammoth total of 329 runs. It was a slowish track and with bowlers like Saeed Ajmal and Shahid Afridi in their ranks, Pakistan were very hopeful of defending the total. But, Virat Kohli had other ideas. Young Kohli batted with a lot of aggression and smashed a 148-ball 183, which still his highest score in ODI cricket. India won the match by 6 wickets and 13 balls to spare.
4) 331/4 against Australia, Sydney, 2016
Australia batted first and a posted a big total of 330 runs at the iconic Sydney Cricket Ground (SCG). Indian openers Rohit Sharma and Shikhar Dhawan started the chase aggressively and added 123 runs for the first wicket. Rohit Sharma was unlucky to get dismissed just 1 short of a hundred but he laid a strong for the middle-order. But the match will be remembered for young Manish Pandey’s brilliant hundred. Pandey dent panic under pressure and scored 104 off just 81 balls.
3) 351/4 against Australia, Nagpur, 2013
This match will be remembered for Virat Kohli’s brilliant knock of 115* runs off just 66 balls. The foundation of this chase was laid by openers Shikhar Dhawan and Rohit Sharma, who added 178 runs for the first wicket. But it was Kohli’s onslaught that stunned Australia and registered a memorable win for India.
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4) 356/7 against England, Pune, 2017
It was Virat Kohli’s first match as India’s full-time ODI captain. India won the toss and told England to bat first. On a good batting wicket, England posted a big target of 351 runs. India lost a couple of early wickets, but once again Virat Kohli stood tall and anchored the run-chase. He was very well supported by Maharashtra’s captain Kedar Jadhav, who smashed the second hundred of his ODI career. Jadhav was awarded man of the match for his brilliant perfomance with the bat.
MUST WATCH: Watch Virat Kohli’s brilliant hundred in first ODI
5) 362/1 against Australia, Jaipur, 2013
Chasing a massive total of 359 runs, Indian openers Shikhar Dhawan and Rohit Sharma added 176 runs in 23 overs for the first wicket. Shikhar Dhawan fell five short of a hundred (95 off 86 balls) but his partner Rohit Sharma carried on to score an unbeaten 141 off just 123 balls. Virat Kohli, once again, scored a hundred and contributed in the run-chase. Kohli scored a 52-ball hundred, the fastest by an Indian. India chased down the mammoth score in just 43.3 overs and won the match by 9 wickets and 27 balls to spare.
