"Tribute to Sachin by not scoring 100" - Fans react as Virat Kohli scores 88 off 94 balls in IND vs SL 2023 World Cup clash

Virat Kohli missed out on his 49th ODI century during the 2023 World Cup match between India and Sri Lanka at the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai on Thursday, November 2. The right-handed batter scored 88 runs off 94 balls, including 11 boundaries.

During his knock, he also shared a 189-run stand with Shubman Gill (run-a-ball 92) for the second wicket. He, however, departed off a slower ball as Dilshan Madushanka took the third wicket of the day.

The dismissal took place in the 32nd over of India innings. Madushanka bowled a slower ball into the wicket and Virat Kohli went early into the shot. The delivery stopped on the batter and bounced a tad, hitting the splice of the bat to pop towards the short cover.

Pathum Nissanka ran in and dived low for an excellent grab. The Wankhede Stadium crowd was silenced by yet another heartbreak of the day as Gill also departed in his 80s.

Fans on X shared their disappointment as Kohli missed out on a record 49th ODI ton. One user wrote:

"Virat Kohli also gave a tribute to Sachin by not scoring 100."

Here are some more reactions:

With his 88-run knock, Kohli has become the second-highest run-scorer in the 2023 World Cup, scoring 442 runs in seven matches at an average of 88.40, including one ton and four half-centuries.

In the process, the Delhi-born batter also eclipsed Australian opener David Warner’s (1405) tally to retain third place among most run-scorers in the marquee ICC tournament. He, however, is still behind Kumar Sangakkara (1532), Ricky Ponting (1743) and Sachin Tendulkar (2278). Kohli currently has 1472 runs from 33 World Cup matches.

Virat Kohli and Shubman Gill’s partnership puts India in commanding position against Sri Lanka

Virat Kohli and Shubman Gill’s 189-run partnership for the second wicket put India in the driving seat against Sri Lanka. That came after India captain Rohit Sharma departed for just four runs off two balls. Dilshan Madhushanka provided the early breakthrough by dismissing Rohit with a corker. He also sent back Shubman Gill and Virat Kohli to bring Lanka back into the match.

In the match, Lanka made a solitary change as Dushan Hemantha replaced Dhananjaya de Silva, while India fielded an unchanged side. The Men in Blue are chasing their seventh win on a trot, while Lanka are eyeing for third win in seven games. The Islanders must finish in top seven to secure automatic qualification for 2025 Champions Trophy.

Follow the IND vs SL 2023 World Cup live score and updates here.