Virat Kohli's wife captured in brilliant reaction after nine-year first at World Cup

Virat Kohli and his wife Anushka Sharma have captured the hearts of cricket fans after a brilliant moment at the World Cup. Kohli helped tournament hosts India make it an incredible nine wins from nine games by completing their flawless group stage campaign against the Netherlands in style.

Centuries from Shreyas Iyer (128 not out) and KL Rahul (102) powered India to a commanding 160-run win over the Netherlands, having batted first and posted an imposing 4-410. The Dutch were never really in contention to chase down the mammoth victory target and were duly bowled out for 250 as India romped to a huge victory.

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Kohli chipped in with the bat, adding another half century (51) to continue his exceptional form at the World Cup. It was the 71st ODI fifty of Kohli's career and saw him overtake South Africa's Quinton de Kock (591) as the leading run-scorer with 594 runs so far in this tournament.

However, it was a stunning nine-year first for Kohli with the ball that provided one of the moments of the match and left fans in a frenzy. The rampant Indians had the luxury of using nine different bowlers against the Dutch, presenting Kohli with a rare chance to throw his arm over with some unconventional right-arm medium-slow deliveries.

The India superstar hadn't taken a wicket in ODI cricket since 2014 when he dismissed former New Zealand captain and current England coach Brendon McCullum in Wellington. However, Kohli sent the local fans and his wife wild as he picked up the wicket of Dutch captain Scott Edwards, caught behind in his second over off a ball drifting down the leg side.

Fans lap up wife's reaction to Virat Kohli wicket

It was only the fifth wicket of Kohli's extraordinary ODI career and prompted the 35-year-old to look up to his famous wife for validation in the stands. Anushka - who is a famous Hindi movie star in India - could be seen laughing and smiling in the stands before throwing her arms up in triumph in scenes that took the cricket world by storm.

KL Rahul races to India's fastest ton

Kohli's special moment with the bal came after Iyer smashed his first World Cup ton in a match where all of India's top-five batters passed 50 runs on a batting-friendly pitch in Bengaluru. Iyer reached his fourth century in ODI cricket off 84 balls and ended with 10 fours and five sixes. Rahul also raced to his own ton off just 62 balls - the fastest hundred by an Indian batter at a World Cup.

Kohli reached his half century but fell for 51, silencing the crowd who had been anticipating the star batter's 50th ODI ton after he equalled Sachin Tendulkar's record of 49 in the previous win over South Africa. Skipper Rohit, who hit 61, and Shubman Gill (51) laid the foundations for the total in an opening stand of 100, with the pair hitting regular boundaries.

Gill fell to Paul van Meekeren and fellow quick Bas de Leede dismissed Rohit after the captain reached his fourth 50-plus score including a ton in the tournament. Bas overtook his father Tim de Leede, who took 14 wicket for the Dutch in the World Cup, and claimed one more to finish as the highest World Cup wicket-taker for his nation with 16 scalps.

Hosts India will now face New Zealand in the first semi-final in Mumbai on Wednesday. Australia - fresh from seven consecutive wins - will then play South Africa the next day in Kolkata. The Proteas are only one of two teams, along with India, who have defeated Pat Cummins' Aussie side so far this tournament.

with agencies

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