What sets Virat apart is his mental strength, says Richards

Virat Kohli's performance at this World Cup has received high praise from the original king of cricket-Viv Richards. The West Indies legend has hailed Kohli's mental strength to overcome some of his low points in the last two years and steer India's magnificent run in their home World Cup.

"As a batter, it has been magnificent to see and I'm not sure fans around the world could have asked for anything better," Richards said in his observations on the World Cup released by the International Cricket Council in a media statement.

Richards, the master blaster of the 1970s and 1980s whose batting, bowling and fielding heroics all stood out in West Indies winning the first two World Cup editions in 1975 and 1979 and then reaching the final in 1983, when India stunned the cricketing world by upstaging his team in the Lord's final.

Richards complimented South Africa's Aiden Markram- he hit a short-lived fastest World Cup century off 49 balls, Glen Maxwellhe bettered it by reaching the mark in 40 balls, and Quinton de Kock-he has hit four centuries in this edition, as well as young New Zealand batter Rachin Ravindrahis sensational run to top the run aggregate includes three hundreds and two fifties.