Cricketers who lit up their birthdays with centuries in ODI format

Scoring a century in ODI cricket is a remarkable feat for any cricketer. What makes it even more special is when a player achieves this milestone on their birthday. Over the years, several cricketers have celebrated their birthdays with memorable centuries, but one of the most recent and notable instances is the modern-day great, Virat Kohli’s exceptional century against South Africa in Kolkata in the ODI World Cup 2023.

Kohli often hailed as ‘King Kohli’, showcased his extraordinary batting prowess on his 35th birthday. The match was played on Sunday, November 5 against South Africa. Kohli, known for his consistency and sheer determination, delivered a masterclass in batting. He reached his century in style, notching an unbeaten 101-run knock against a formidable South African bowling attack.

His century was not only a gift to himself but also a gift to cricket fans worldwide who admire his remarkable skills. With this century, he has also equalled former legendary Indian cricketer Sachin Tendulkar’s record of 49 centuries in the ODI format. What makes it special is Kohli took only 277 innings to achieve this milestone while Tendulkar took 452 innings. 

In addition to Kohli’s memorable century, there have been other remarkable instances of cricketers scoring tons on their birthdays. Let’s take a look at some other players who smashed centuries on their birthday in an ODI match.

1. Vinod Kambli: On his 21st birthday in 1993, Kambli played a remarkable innings, scoring an unbeaten 100* against England in Jaipur.

2. Sachin Tendulkar: The legendary Tendulkar marked his 25th birthday in style in 1998 by scoring 134 runs against Australia in Sharjah.

3. Sanath Jayasuriya: At the age of 39, Jayasuriya defied age to score a century (130) against India in Karachi in 2008.

4. Ross Taylor: Taylor celebrated his 27th birthday with a brilliant unbeaten 131* against Pakistan in Pallekele during the 2011 World Cup.

5. Tom Latham: Turning 30 in 2022, Latham smashed an unbeaten 140* against the Netherlands in Hamilton.

6. Mitchell Marsh: On his 32nd birthday in 2023, Marsh impressed everyone by scoring 121 against Pakistan in Bengaluru.

7. Virat Kohli: The Indian captain, Virat Kohli, delivered a birthday gift to himself in 2023 by hitting an unbeaten 100* against South Africa in Kolkata. Notably, Kohli’s century came in a World Cup match, just like Taylor and Marsh.