Virat Kohli becomes fastest to 15,000 ODI runs, second after Tendulkar

Virat Kohli became only the second batter in men’s cricket to reach 15,000 one-day international runs on Sunday, doing it in his 303rd innings — 74 fewer than Sachin Tendulkar needed.

The 37-year-old pulled a short ball from Alzarri Joseph to the deep midwicket fence in the 29th over of India’s chase of 296 against West Indies at the Greenfield International Stadium in Thiruvananthapuram. He raised his bat to a standing ovation, hugged captain Shubman Gill, and got straight back on with the chase, with India cruising at 215 for 1.

Kohli entered the match needing 59 runs to reach the mark, having made 14,941 in 302 ODI innings. Tendulkar, who reached 15,000 in 2007 and finished with 18,426 runs in 463 matches, remains the only other batter past the landmark. Kumar Sangakkara is third on the all-time list.

It is the latest in a career of speed records: Kohli already holds the fastest routes to 8,000, 9,000, 10,000, 11,000, 12,000, 13,000 and 14,000 ODI runs, reaching 10,000 in just 205 innings in 2018.

The milestone came a day after Kohli told broadcaster JioStar the 2027 World Cup — his fifth — would be his last. “For me, it’s the last World Cup I’m going to play for India. That is my motivation,” he said. Kohli, a 2011 World Cup winner under MS Dhoni, has retired from Tests and T20 internationals and now plays only the 50-over format.

Sources

• Geo News: Virat Kohli reaches 15,000 ODI runs, second after Tendulkar to achieve feat
• IANS: 1st ODI: Kohli becomes second men’s batter after Tendulkar to cross 15,000 ODI runs
• The Indian Express: Kohli brings up 15000 ODI runs, just 2nd batter to reach feat after Tendulkar
• Mathrubhumi English: Kohli scripts history! Fastest batter to score 15,000 runs in ODIs