KOLKATA, Nov  5, 2023 (BSS/AFP) - Virat Kohli said he felt "honoured" to
equal "hero" Sachin Tendulkar's record of 49 one-day international hundreds
during India's World Cup rout of fellow semi-finalists South Africa on Sunday.
       
Kohli, on his 35th birthday, made a superbly paced 101 not out in India's
total of 326-5 in their maximum 50 overs after home captain Rohit Sharma won
the toss on a tricky pitch at Kolkata's Eden Gardens.
       
India, who have now won all eight of their pool play matches so far and are
now guaranteed to finish top of the 10-team table, then dismissed South Africa
for just 83 in 27.1 overs, with spinner Ravindra Jadeja taking 5-3.
       
During the innings break, the now retired Tendulkar -- whom Kohli lifted on
his shoulders in celebration after they were team-mates in India's 2011 World
Cup final win at his idol's Mumbai home ground -- posted his congratulations on
X, formerly Twitter.
       
"Well played Virat," said the India great. "It took me 365 days to go from
49 to 50 (years old) earlier this year. I hope you go from 49 to 50 and break
my record in the next few days. Congratulations."
       
It had taken him 277 innings to score 49 hundreds at this level compared to
the 438 required by Tendulkar.
       
"Tendulkar's tweet is quite special," said Kohli. "It's all too much to
take in for now.

 It's a huge honour to equal my hero's record. He's perfection
with the bat. It's an emotional moment.
       
"I know the days I come from, I know the days I have watched him on TV. To
receive appreciation from him means a lot to me."
       
India's colossal winning margin in Kolkata was all the more impressive
given South Africa, whose only defeat in the tournament before this match was a
shock loss to the Netherlands, are second in the 10-team table and already
assured of a last four spot themselves.
       
"It was a big game," said Kohli. "We were probably playing the toughest
team in the tournament so far, there was motivation for doing well.
       
"People made it a bit more special on my birthday. I had a sense of it
being something more."
       
He added: "The message from the management was for me to bat deep, I was
happy from that perspective."