Will Dubai Witness Another Kohli ‘Masterclass’?
Just last Tuesday in Dubai, Virat Kohli’s brilliant 84-run knock against Australia powered India into the Champions Trophy final. Now, the much-awaited title clash is here. Tomorrow at the Dubai Stadium, India will take on New Zealand for the trophy, and Kohli stands on the verge of a major milestone.
Kohli has rediscovered his form in the Champions Trophy. Before the semifinal, he played an unbeaten 100-run knock against Pakistan in the group stage. Indian fans are hoping for another stellar performance from him in the final. If he delivers, Kohli will become the highest run-scorer in Champions Trophy history.
Currently, West Indies legend Chris Gayle holds the record with 791 runs in 17 innings across 17 matches. Kohli, with 746 runs in 16 innings, is just 46 runs away from overtaking Gayle.
Among active cricketers, Kohli is the only one with over 700 runs in Champions Trophy history. England’s Joe Root follows him with 656 runs in 12 innings, while Indian captain Rohit Sharma has 585 runs in 14 innings. Overall, only four players have surpassed 700 runs in the tournament—Gayle, Kohli, Sri Lanka’s Mahela Jayawardene (742 runs in 21 innings), and India’s Shikhar Dhawan (701 runs in 10 innings).
A 55-run knock in the final will also push Kohli past Kumar Sangakkara to become the second-highest run-scorer in ODI history. Sangakkara has 14,234 runs in 380 innings, while Kohli currently has 14,180 runs in 289 innings. The only player ahead of them is the legendary Sachin Tendulkar, who tops the chart with 18,426 runs in 452 innings.
In this Champions Trophy edition, Kohli currently ranks fourth among the top run-scorers. He has 217 runs in four innings, just 10 runs behind England’s Ben Duckett, who leads with 227 runs in three innings. New Zealand’s Rachin Ravindra is also in the race, sitting second with 226 runs in three innings. The final presents Kohli with a golden opportunity—not just to clinch the trophy for India but to leave his mark in the record books once again.
