Kohli Becomes First Indian to 14,000 T20 Runs in RCB’s Big Win Over KKR

Virat Kohli scripted another unforgettable chapter in his glittering IPL career with a sensational unbeaten 105 off 60 balls as Royal Challengers Bengaluru defeated Kolkata Knight Riders by six wickets to climb to the top of the IPL 2026 points table on Wednesday. In a high-stakes clash with major playoff implications, Kohli’s vintage knock powered RCB to a successful chase of 193 in 19.1 overs and reaffirmed his status as one of the greatest batters in T20 history.

The innings was historic on multiple fronts. Kohli registered his record-extending ninth IPL century , the most by any player in tournament history, while also becoming the first Indian batter to cross 14,000 runs in T20 cricket . The RCB stalwart additionally surpassed MS Dhoni and Rohit Sharma to become the player with the most appearances in IPL history , featuring in his 279th match.

The hundred also revived memories of Kohli’s legendary IPL legacy. He remains the tournament’s all-time leading run-scorer with more than 8,500 runs and still holds the record for the most runs in a single IPL season after accumulating 973 runs in 2016. That same season, he smashed four centuries, another unmatched IPL record. Kohli is also the only player to have represented a single franchise, RCB, since the inaugural IPL season in 2008.

Coming into the game after a brief lean patch, Kohli looked determined from the very first ball. He punched his first run after three low-scoring innings and immediately launched into Vaibhav Arora, smashing four boundaries in the opening over to put KKR under pressure. England youngster Jacob Bethell also provided early momentum, hammering two fours and a six before being dismissed by Kartik Tyagi, who finished with impressive figures of 3/32.

KKR’s biggest turning point came when Rovman Powell dropped Kohli at extra cover off Tyagi’s bowling. The missed chance proved disastrous as Kohli went on to dominate the chase with complete authority. He forged a fluent 92-run stand with Devdutt Padikkal, who contributed 39 runs in a composed partnership that kept the required rate under control throughout the middle overs.

Another fielding lapse hurt Kolkata when Vaibhav Arora dropped Padikkal, compounding KKR’s frustration on a night when their bowling attack struggled to contain RCB’s experienced batting lineup. Even after Padikkal and Rajat Patidar departed, Kohli remained unfazed and accelerated brilliantly in the final overs, smashing Anukul Roy for a six and a boundary before bringing up his century in just 58 deliveries. His innings included 11 fours and three sixes , showcasing a perfect blend of aggression, placement and control.

Earlier, KKR had posted a competitive 192/4 after recovering from early setbacks. Finn Allen started aggressively before being dismissed by Bhuvneshwar Kumar, while captain Ajinkya Rahane fell to Josh Hazlewood after a quick cameo.

The innings was then rebuilt superbly by Angkrish Raghuvanshi, who produced a career-best 71 off 46 balls with seven fours and three sixes. The young batter stitched together a 68-run partnership with Cameron Green (32) and later added another crucial 76-run stand with Rinku Singh, who remained unbeaten on 49 off 29 deliveries.

Despite the strong total, KKR visibly missed injured spinner Varun Chakaravarthy, with their bowling lacking control during the middle overs. Poor fielding and missed opportunities eventually proved decisive as RCB completed one of their most important wins of the season.

The victory significantly boosted Bengaluru’s playoff hopes and strengthened their chances of securing a top-two finish. More importantly, Kohli’s return to peak form at the business end of the tournament has transformed RCB into one of the strongest title contenders heading into the IPL 2026 playoffs.