Virat's childhood coach Raj Kumar fires back at critics with impressive stats

Dubai [UAE]: After Virat Kohli's impressive century against arch-rival Pakistan in the ongoing Champions Trophy, his childhood coach Raj Kumar Sharma had a strong message for the critics - "Just watch his statistics".

India outfoxed its arch-rival Pakistan in all facets of the game and sailed to a comfortable six-wicket win. Pakistan set a modest 242-run target for India to chase, and Virat perfectly orchestrated the victory with his 51st ODI ton.

Virat has been on the radar since an underwhelming test tour of Australia. He returned to the ODI fold against England during the build-up to the Champions Trophy and showed signs of returning to form with a composed fifty in the final ODI.

During India's Champions Trophy campaign opener against Bangladesh, Virat toiled hard and produced a scratchy 22, which attracted criticism from some sections of fans.

But Virat had saved his best for his favourite opposition to score against Pakistan. He stitched vital partnerships with Shubman Gill and Shreyas Iyer and struck the winning runs by dispatching the ball to the boundary rope with a shot clean as a whistle.

Raj Kumar expressed his delight about India's performance and how Virat smashed records, silencing the critics with his bat.

"It was a remarkable performance. He has been doing this for a long time. All I can say to critics is just look at his stats. Everybody has their thinking, but Virat gives his answer with the bat. His work ethic is strong. That is why he has delivered so many performances," Raj Kumar told ANI.

Virat lived up to his reputation as a 'chase master' and was the main mastermind behind Pakistan's downfall. He slammed an unbeaten 100 off 111 balls, laced with seven fours, a delight for every cricket lover. Virat figured out the perfect route to victory and helped India chase down 242 with a handful of overs to spare.

His knock came at a 90.09 strike rate, helping India effortlessly chase down Pakistan's total of 241. This was Kohli's sixth century in ICC ODI events and his maiden in the ICC Champions Trophy.

It wasn't just his record-extending 51st ODI hundred or taking India past the finishing line; Virat added another feather to his cap, becoming the fastest to 14,000 runs in the format.

Former cricketer and selector Sarandeep Singh felt it was a deserving win for the "best team in ODIs," India. He praised the Rohit Sharma-led side for its ability to churn out results even when the conditions are against them.

"It was a deserving victory. At the moment, the Indian team seems like a team which can win the tournament. The batsmen are giving good performances. This match is more like a war. Indian team performed well. The Indian team is ready. They know how to win the match even in challenging situations. That's why right now, the Indian team is the best team in ODI matches," he told ANI.

This article was generated from an automated news agency feed without modifications to text.

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