Virat Kohli is set to play in his 100th T20I match for India when the Men in Blue clash against Pakistan on August 28, 2022, in the ongoing Asia Cup tournament with the match to be played in Dubai. Kohli will also be making his return to the Indian team after a considerable break from the game.
All eyes will be on the star batter as many are hoping that the 33-year-old will return to form during the tournament as he has been going through a rough patch in international cricket. His last century in international cricket came back in 2019 and many have questioned his place in the T20I setup ahead of the upcoming World Cup in Australia.
AB de Villiers, his friend and former teammate in the IPL franchise, the Royal Challengers Bangalore, sent a special message to the former India captain ahead of his historic feat.
"I would like to take this opportunity to congratulate my very good friend Virat Kohli on becoming the first Indian cricket player to play 100 matches across all three formats. What an amazing achievement, Virat. We're all very proud of you and all the very best in your 100th T20 international game. We will be watching you," said De Villiers in a video posted by Star Sports.
Not only, De Villiers, but Kohli’s current RCB captain Faf du Plessis and former RCB teammate Dale Steyn also sent across wishes to the Indian batter ahead of his historic 100th T20I.
Faf said in a video on Star Sports: “Hi Virat, congrats on your hundredth T20I not only that becoming the 1st Indian cricketer to play 100 matches over all three formats. Another fantastic achievement to add to the list of all the amazing things that you've already done. But I am also really looking forward to see, over next few years, what you are going to come up with, what special things we are gonna see from you. I know there is a lot left in that tank of yours and I am really excited to see it. Congratulations and good luck for the Asia cup.”
Meanwhile, Dale Steyn, who played with Kohli in two stints with the RCB said in a video posted by Star Sports: “So Virat Kohli is set to become the second player in history to play 100 matches in all three formats of the game and the first Indian to do so. I think what sets him apart from everybody else is the fierce competitiveness that he has.
We can talk about his skill, he is one of the phenomenal batters in the world, in shorter formats, when it comes to the ODIs, he is a run machine, a chasing machine. He averages close to 58. He can chase down anything.
When it comes to the longest format, the man has scored seven double hundreds. that's a record not many people have. He is phenomenal when it comes to scoring runs. Absolute run machine. Want to wish him all the best in his 100th T20I. Virat you are one of the nicest guys i know. All the best bud, we back you.”
