Kohli hits 3rd consecutive century in India's home defeat

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Indian cricket team captain Virat Kohli's record-equaling third consecutive century in as many games went in vain as his side lost to West Indies by 43 runs in the third one-day international in Pune on Saturday. The five-match series is tied at 1-1.

Kohli, the hottest property in the cricket world, became the fastest batsman to reach 10,000 ODI runs during Wednesday's tied match at Visakhapatnam.

Continuing his record-breaking momentum, he played valiant innings of 107 to notch up his 38th century in the format but his dismissal shattered India's hopes of chasing down the target of 284 for a victory.

For the visitors, part-time off-spinner Marlon Samuels turned out to be the wrecker-in-chief as he picked up his best ODI bowling figures of three for 12.

With Kohli failing to carry his bat through the chase, the hosts were bundled out for 240 in the 48th over.

India cricket team captain Virat Kohli plays a shot during the third one day international (ODI) cricket match between India and West Indies at the Maharashtra Cricket Association Stadium in Pune. /VCG Photo

Earlier, in-form Caribbean batsman Shai Hope, who continued his rich vein of form with an unbeaten 123 in the last match, hit 95 to help his side reach 283 for nine after being asked to bat first.

With Kohli going great gun, India appeared to be comfortably placed at 172 for three after 31 overs but lost their way with quick wickets of Rishabh Pant, who made 24 off 18 balls, and former skipper and wicket-keeper-batsman Mahendra Singh Dhoni.

An unperturbed Kohli carried on like a man on a mission but soon after reaching his record-equaling hundred, he got castled in Samuels' first over. The fate of the match was sealed.

Interestingly, Kohli became the first-ever Indian and the 10th batsman in the history of ODI cricket to slam three consecutive hundreds.

Former Sri Lankan batsman Kumar Sangakkara still holds the world record of four centuries on a trot while Zaheer Abbas, Saeed Anwar, Herschelle Gibbs, AB de Villiers, Quinton de Kock, Ross Taylor, Babar Azam, and Jonny Bairstow have achieved the hat-trick of centuries before Kohli.

The fourth and the penultimate ODI will be played in Mumbai on Monday.