India batter Virat Kohli was gifted with a golden bat on his 35th birthday by the Cricket Association of Bengal (CAB) at the Eden Gardens in Kolkata.
The Cricket Association of Bengal (CAB) celebrated Virat Kohli's 35th birthday in style at Eden Gardens, Kolkata on November 5. Kohli, who had just equaled Sachin Tendulkar's record with his 49th ODI century, was gifted a golden bat by CAB President Snehasish Ganguly, the brother of former Indian captain Sourav Ganguly. The presentation took place after Kohli was awarded the 'Player of the Match' for his unbeaten 101 in India's resounding 243-run victory over South Africa.
After receiving the golden bat, Kohli expressed his gratitude by posing for a photo with the ground staff at Eden Gardens, the very venue where he scored his maiden ODI century. CAB also prepared a special cake for the occasion. In the post-match presentation, Kohli shared his emotions, saying, "It's a very emotional moment for me, I know where I come from. I know the days where I watched him on TV, and just to get that appreciation from him means a lot to me."
Kohli, India's leading run-scorer in the World Cup 2023, emphasized his enjoyment of the game, saying, "I'm enjoying playing cricket, and that is more important to me than phases. I'm just happy that God has blessed me with that enjoyment. I'm just happy that I'm being able to do what I have done over the years."
Kohli's determination to succeed against South Africa was evident from the outset, as he recognized the challenge posed by one of the toughest teams in the tournament. He acknowledged the special significance of the match occurring on his birthday and how it was made even more special by the support of the fans.
Reflecting on the changing conditions during the game, Kohli mentioned, "People from the outside look at the game in a bit of a different way. When the openers start well, you feel it is a belter, but the conditions slow down drastically. I was happy from that perspective. Once we got more than 315, we knew that we were above par."
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 "Virat Kohli receives golden bat on 35th birthday after record-equalling century at Eden Gardens")
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