Mirpur (Bangladesh), March 2: Whatever maybe the pitch, whoever maybe the bowler, one man seems to have all the answers to stack up the runs. He is India's star batsman Virat Kohli.
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Last night (March 1), Kohli was again the batting hero as he led India to a 5-wicket success over Sri Lanka in the Asia Cup Twenty20 tournament at Sher-e-Bangla Stadium in Mirpur. This was India's third win in a row and it ensured their place in the final (March 6).
On Tuesday night, Kohli constructed his 13th half century in T20Is. This was in his 34th innings (36 matches). His unbeaten 56 catapulted his career average to 51 plus, the highest among batsmen who have scored minimum 500 runs.
This was Kohli's 4th fifty plus score in in his last 6 innings this year. Against Australia, he had 90 not out, 59 not out and 50 as the Mahendra Singh Dhoni-led team had achieved a historice whitewash 3-0.
Now in the ongoing Asia Cup, Kohli failed in the opening match against Bangladesh, for 7. But bounced back with a 49 versus Pakistan and yesterday 56 not out.
For his innings against Pakistan and Sri Lanka, the 27-year-old picked up Man-of-the-match awards. Now he has equalled Yuvraj Singh's record for most such awards by an Indian.
Both Kohli and Yuvraj now have 7 Man-of-the-match awards each. However, Kohli's achievement has come in less number of matches than his experienced team-mate. Yuvraj has 7 trophies in 49 games while Kohli has same number of honours in 36 matches.
Kohli holds the Indian record with most Man-of-the-series awards in T20Is with 3. Yuvraj and Ravichandran Ashwin have 1 apiece.
Already having broken several records in his international career, Kohli is on the right track to achieve many more.
Most Man-of-the-match awards in T20Is (Indians) - Top 3
7 - Virat Kohli (36 matches), Yuvraj Singh (49)
3 - R Ashwin (37), Rohit Sharma (53)
2 - Amit Mishra (7), Irfan Pathan (24), Yusuf Pathan (22), Suresh Raina (55)
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