"You are a magician, this is next level hitting" - Fans hail KL Rahul for scoring fastest World Cup 100 by Indian batter

Wicket-keeper batter KL Rahul continued his scintillating form, scoring 102 off 62 deliveries against the Netherlands in Bengaluru on November 12.

Following a serene display until his half-century, the 31-year-old changed gears seamlessly to reach three figures off only 62 balls. It was the fastest by an Indian batter in ODI World Cups, overtaking Rohit Sharma's 63-ball effort against Afghanistan earlier in the tournament.

Since his return from the hamstring injury suffered midway through the IPL, Rahul has been in blistering form from the Asia Cup. The stylish batter scored a memorable century against Pakistan in the continental tournament and has not looked back since.

The local boy thrilled the Bengaluru fans with 11 majestic boundaries and four maximums during his first century of the ongoing World Cup. The knock helped India post their second-highest World Cup score of 410/4 in 50 overs.

KL Rahul Rahul's 102 was also the second-highest score by an Indian wicketkeeper in a World Cup behind head coach Rahul Dravid's 145 against Sri Lanka in the 1999 edition.

His array of shots, especially the pick-up flick, left fans on Twitter in awe of his inimitable talent and strokemaking ability.

Here are some of the best reactions:

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"Batting at 5, it's important to get that confidence" - KL Rahul

Rahul gave the home crowd plenty to cheer about.

KL Rahul admitted to gaining confidence through his magnificent century against the Netherlands, considering the lack of opportunities to bat long in the last few matches.

Following a match-winning 97* against Australia in India's opening encounter of the 2023 World Cup, the 31-year-old has not crossed 50. While Rahul has looked in great nick during that period, the top four being in rich form has left Rahul with limited time at the crease.

In a conversation with host broadcasters during the mid-innings break, Rahul said:

"Not gotten a lot of time (in the middle) in the last two games, so it was nice to get some time today. Batting at 5, it's important to get that confidence, it was a good knock. Getting that confidence to hit sixes towards the end was important. It's not rocket science, got to go hard in the last 10 overs."

Rahul shared a breathtaking 208-run partnership with Shreyas Iyer, who scored 128* off 94 deliveries, as the duo shredded the Dutch bowling attack into pieces.

Defending a massive 410, India will look to finish off the league stages as the only unbeaten side with a win against the Netherlands.

They will play New Zealand in the first semi-final at the iconic Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai on Wednesday, November 15.