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Indian batting superstar Virat Kohli has added another milestone to his illustrious career, becoming the fastest batter to reach 16,000 international runs in the Asian subcontinent. He achieved the feat during his 52-run knock against England in the third and final ODI of the ongoing series on February 12.
Kohli reached the landmark in style, taking a single to deep third on the final delivery of the 12th over of India’s innings. However, his stay at the crease was cut short as he fell to Adil Rashid, becoming India’s second wicket to fall.
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Fourth Player to Achieve the Feat, But the Fastest
Having made his international debut in Colombo in 2008, Kohli has now become only the fourth batter to cross the 16,000-run mark in international cricket in Asia. What makes his achievement even more remarkable is that he did it in just 340 innings, making him the fastest player to do so.
Before Kohli, only three legendary batters—Sachin Tendulkar, Kumar Sangakkara, and Mahela Jayawardene—had reached this milestone. However, Kohli surpassed their records with ease, achieving it in fewer innings than any of them.
Batters with 16,000+ International Runs in Asia
| Player | Innings | Total Runs (Tests; ODIs; T20Is) |
|---|---|---|
| Sachin Tendulkar | 475 | 21,741 (9,674; 12,067; 0) |
| Kumar Sangakkara | 410 | 18,423 (9,355; 8,249; 819) |
| Mahela Jayawardene | 439 | 17,386 (9,399; 7,342; 645) |
| Virat Kohli | 340 | 16,025 (4,789; 8,508; 2,728) |
Kohli’s Continued Dominance in International Cricket
Despite being 36, Kohli continues to break records and cement his legacy as one of the greatest cricketers of all time. His consistency across all formats and his ability to chase down targets with ease have made him a modern-day great.
This achievement adds to his long list of records, including being the fastest to 8,000, 9,000, 10,000, and 11,000 ODI runs, surpassing legends like Sachin Tendulkar and Ricky Ponting.
With plenty of cricket still left in him, fans can expect more milestones from Kohli in the coming years.
