Virat Kohli hit his first international century since November 2019 also bringing up his first ever T20 ton as India piled up 212/2 against Afghanistan at the Asia Cup in Dubai on Thursday.
The star batter stood unbeaten on 122 off 61 deliveries with 12 fours and two sixes in Dubai after India were put in to bat in their last Super Four contest after being eliminated from the tournament.
It is now the highest score by an Indian batter in T20 internationals.
Match blog: Asia Cup 2022 – India vs Afghanistan
Kohli, 33, hit a four and a six off pace bowler Fareed Ahmad to reach his first India ton in nearly three years – his last hundred coming in a Test against Bangladesh in Kolkata in November 2019.
His previous best in 103 T20Is was 94 not out since his debut in 2010.
He put on an opening stand of 119 with KL Rahul, who made 62, to lay the foundations of the mammoth total as the Afghan bowlers struggled on their second successive day on the field.
Kohli registered his third 50-plus score in the event, which serves as a tune-up to the T20 World Cup in October-November in Australia.
Kohli has also hit 27 Test and 43 ODI centuries in a stellar career.
Here are some reactions to Kohli’s 71st international ton:
Thank you for all the love and support throughout the Asia Cup campaign. We will get better and come back stronger. Untill next time ❤️🇮🇳 pic.twitter.com/yASQ5SbsHl
— Virat Kohli (@imVkohli) September 9, 2022
A long wait finally comes to an end.
— Star Sports (@StarSportsIndia) September 8, 2022
𝐓𝐇𝐀𝐓'𝐒 𝐀 💯 𝐅𝐎𝐑 𝐊𝐈𝐍𝐆 𝐊𝐎𝐇𝐋𝐈!
DP World #AsiaCup2022 #INDvAFG #BelieveInBlue #TeamIndia #KingKohli #71 pic.twitter.com/aypvxXYs6D
💯 The wait is over. #ViratKohli https://t.co/eFLuOD3Ozt pic.twitter.com/BFWkG3JrK6
— The Field (@thefield_in) September 8, 2022
💯🙌👌@imVkohli #AsiaCup2022 #INDvAFG pic.twitter.com/J8asz3zXpk
— BCCI (@BCCI) September 8, 2022
When I spoke to him yesterday I knew something was brewing💪
— AB de Villiers (@ABdeVilliers17) September 8, 2022
Well played my friend
The King 👑 is Back @imVkohli #INDvAFG #AsiaCup2022
— S.Badrinath (@s_badrinath) September 8, 2022
Just shows how important being mentally hundred percent is!! Just a small break is all you need.
— Sarah Waris (@swaris16) September 8, 2022
It’s been a while, but happy to see Virat Kohli back in international century scoring mode. First T20i hundred, and hopefully a precursor to bigger tasks ahead.
— Ian Raphael Bishop (@irbishi) September 8, 2022
One of the best things that has happened to cricket is Virat Kohli !
— Javeria Khan (@ImJaveria) September 8, 2022
A brilliant ton @imVkohli 💥#IndvAfg
Virat Kohli becomes the first player to score a century in the T20 Asia Cup.
— Kausthub Gudipati (@kaustats) September 8, 2022
When Tendulkar batted well, I felt like a child again.
— El Chopernos (@El_Chopernos) September 8, 2022
When Kohli bats well, it's the headiness of youth all over again.
Virat Kohli’s 122* is now the highest individual score for India in T20Is.
— Umang Pabari (@UPStatsman) September 8, 2022
The previous highest was 118 by Rohit Sharma against Sri Lanka at Indore in 2017.#INDvAFG
Virat Kohli is the fastest to complete 71 hundreds in International cricket in terms of innings.
— Johns. (@CricCrazyJohns) September 8, 2022
Maiden T20 century , so happy for you @imVkohli You totally deserved it🔥 Immense respect for such a brilliant innings #INDvAFG pic.twitter.com/H1EVC1N86A
— Suresh Raina🇮🇳 (@ImRaina) September 8, 2022
122 - Virat Kohli's unbeaten 122 against Afghanistan is the highest individual score by an Indian in men's T20Is, overtaking Rohit Sharma's 118 against Sri Lanka in December 2017. Top.#INDvAFG pic.twitter.com/D3FT1dLzix
— OptaJeev (@OptaJeev) September 8, 2022
#ViratKohli𓃵
— Kuldeep yadav (@imkuldeep18) September 8, 2022
That's it, that's the tweet. 🙌🏻 pic.twitter.com/hmzUScDynx
Most centuries in international cricket:
— Umang Pabari (@UPStatsman) September 8, 2022
100 : Sachin Tendulkar
71 : Virat Kohli*
71 : Ricky Ponting
63 : Kumar Sangakkara
62 : Jacques Kallis #INDvsAFG
Well done champion kohli @imVkohli happy to see you getting a 100 👏 #indvsafghanistan #AsiaCup2022
— Harbhajan Turbanator (@harbhajan_singh) September 8, 2022
Oldest Indian to score a T20I hundred:
— Kausthub Gudipati (@kaustats) September 8, 2022
33y 307d - Virat Kohli
31y 299d - Suryakumar Yadav
31y 190d - Rohit Sharma#INDvAFG #AsiaCup
Kohli breaks his hundred drought. I wonder how helpful that is for India - it may prolong his T20 international career, which may not help their chances at the World Cup. I expect to be proved gloriously wrong.
— Lawrence Booth (@the_topspin) September 8, 2022
Century after 1021 days! His first in T20Is. What a day for Virat Kohli and Indian cricket! More centuries to come. @imVkohli #AsiaCup2022 pic.twitter.com/WZWglIZVbu
— Yusuf Pathan (@iamyusufpathan) September 8, 2022
Unbeatable! Virat stands tall…. Yet again! A stamp of authority with a smashing 💯. #AsiaCup2022 #INDvAFG #ViratKohli𓃵 pic.twitter.com/KAVz25djzH
— Anjum Chopra (@chopraanjum) September 8, 2022
Virat Kohli will always be a champion cricketer. 💯
— Mohammad Kaif (@MohammadKaif) September 8, 2022
Took the stones and turned into a milestone. King Kohli. 👑🇮🇳
— Rajasthan Royals (@rajasthanroyals) September 8, 2022
Virat ✌️ ! The best suitable word for this special innings @imVkohli , Magnificent comeback of the King 👑 .#INDvsAFG #AsiaCup2022 #ViratKohli𓃵
— Nooshin AL Khadeer (@NooshinKhadeer) September 8, 2022
This bit was lovely.#ViratKohli #AsiaCup2022 pic.twitter.com/ViwcrtIO9p
— Aditya Chaturvedi (@aditya_c19) September 8, 2022
Still processing this. Virat Kohli gets the elusive 71st ton. Sigh. 🥺
— Samreen (@SamreenRazz) September 8, 2022
Just looked different gravy against spin early on and just sensed that he was on to something right then. The happiest I have been in six months. The King is back and long may he reign. 👑#AsiaCup2022
So should Virat open at the T20 World Cup?
— Harsha Bhogle (@bhogleharsha) September 8, 2022
The relief was writ large on Kohli's face. It's over... it is finally over. pic.twitter.com/bEUI7aAIPq
— Ashish Magotra (@clutchplay) September 8, 2022
Yall tried dethroning the KING👑
— Riyan Paragg (@ParagRiyan) September 8, 2022
Shameeeeeeee…#KingKohli #AsiaCupT20 #INDvsAFG
That 71st 💯 feeling 😍 #AsiaCup2022 | #INDvAFG pic.twitter.com/VDoBsCGzMm
— ICC (@ICC) September 8, 2022
The relief on Kohli’s face says it all. Has had a tough couple of years and let’s hope he kicks on from this one. Dedicates the hundred to his wife and daughter❤️
— Darren Caldeira (@darrencaldeira) September 8, 2022
Entire Country to Virat Kohli pic.twitter.com/jWUx1eWsi7
— Sagar (@sagarcasm) September 8, 2022
Loved watching the @imVkohli innings this evening; however; loved even more, his post-match interview #champion #evenmorerespect #greatbatterbetterman #AsiaCupT20
— Jonty Rhodes (@JontyRhodes8) September 8, 2022
The standards that Virat Kohli had set >>>#AsiaCup2022 | #INDvAFG pic.twitter.com/CYJ7yJk3Yq
— ESPNcricinfo (@ESPNcricinfo) September 8, 2022
The bond between AB Devilliers and Virat Kohli. pic.twitter.com/fuNGBlH2CB
— Johns. (@CricCrazyJohns) September 8, 2022
Class is permanent. One Virat Kohli. ⚡ pic.twitter.com/9osvkcjdjq
— Lakshya Sen (@lakshya_sen) September 9, 2022
#AsiaCup2022 #INDvAFG #AsiaCupT20 #ViratKohli after international century No 71: ‘When I came back from break, I wasn’t desperate’ https://t.co/SncH78q7Wc
— Scroll.in (@scroll_in) September 9, 2022
via @thefield_in pic.twitter.com/tOdOQR8Dzq
Inputs from AFP