New Delhi: Indian icon Virat Kohli picked the 43-run knock off 34 balls against England in the Champions Trophy 2013 final as his “top ODI innings” as the former India skipper celebrates his 38th birthday Thursday.
Kohli, 38, remains the heartbeat of the cricket-loving nation as he continues to dominate ODI cricket, the only format he is currently playing for India.
The run-machine has played some jaw-dropping knocks since his debut and is rightly known to be a chase master and one of the best ODI batters the world has ever seen.
His 183 against Pakistan in the 2012 Asia Cup, 133 against Sri Lanka in the 2012 Commonwealth Bank Series with a prime Lasith Malinga, and a clutch 85 against Australia in the 2023 World Cup league stage were among the options he was given.
In a video shared by Star Sports on Kohli’s 38th birthday, the legendary batter picked the clutch 43-run knock he scored in the Champions Trophy 2013 final that played a key role in helping India win the title over England.
Birthday special! 😍
Over the years, #ViratKohli has played countless iconic innings, but which one comes out on top? Find out! 📹
Watch him soon in #INDvSL 3-match ODI series 👉 Starts 13th DEC https://t.co/ookEDInLNc
— Star Sports (@StarSportsIndia) November 5, 2026
The clutch knock came in the rain-hit 20-over per side clash in overcast conditions at Edgbaston. With wickets falling all around, Kohli scored 43 from 34 balls with a four and a six to power India to 129/7 in 20 overs, which helped India win the title by five runs later.
He came in to bat at 19/1 and had a 41-run stand with Shikhar Dhawan (31), before he saw the Men in Blue reel at 66/5. He stayed out in the middle and was dismissed only in the 19th over, as India put up 129/7 with help from Ravindra Jadeja’s 33 too.
In the video shared, Kohli first picked the 35 he scored against Sri Lanka in the 2011 World Cup final over the 133 against Sri Lanka in 2012. That stood for quite some time before Kohli chose 43 against England.
He also gave considerable thought to the Champions Trophy final knock and the 107 against Pakistan in the ODI World Cup 2015 before choosing the 43 against England as his top knock.
