On March 25 (Monday), Virat Kohli, made history by leading his team to a successful chase of 177 runs against Punjab Kings (PBKS) for Royal Challengers Bengaluru, in the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2024 match held at the iconic M Chinnaswamy Stadium.
The former RCB captain achieved a significant milestone by scoring a half-century, marking his 100th fifty-plus score in T20 cricket, making him the first Indian and the third player globally to accomplish this feat.
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Virat Kohli’s Sets Record: Top Among Indian Catchers
In the ranking of batters with the most 50-plus scores in T20 cricket, Virat Kohli currently holds the third position. Leading the chart is ‘Universe Boss’ Chris Gayle, boasting 110 fifty-plus scores and a total of 14,562 runs. Following Gayle is the seasoned Australian batter David Warner, with 109 fifty-plus scores and 12,094 runs to his name.
In the RCB vs PBKS match, prior to his batting feat, Kohli achieved another milestone by taking his 173rd catch, thereby securing the top position among Indian players with the most catches in T20 cricket. His milestone catch came from Jonny Bairstow, surpassing the previous record held by former Chennai Super Kings (CSK) all-rounder Suresh Raina.
Kohli’s Aggressive Batting Lifts Royal Challengers Bangalore Early On
Kohli capitalized on Punjab Kings’ missed opportunity early in the innings, proving costly for the opposition. On just the second ball of Royal Challengers Bangalore’s chase, Kohli had yet to score when Bairstow missed a straightforward catch at first slip. This lapse in fielding cost Punjab Kings dearly, as Kohli swiftly capitalized, hitting a boundary off the same delivery. His aggressive batting continued, with Kohli driving Curran through the covers twice in the opening over and confidently taking on Rabada with a beautifully executed lofted drive.
He further added to his boundary count, accumulating three more in Arshdeep Singh’s second over alone. Within just four overs, Kohli had already notched up eight boundaries, providing Royal Challengers Bangalore with a commanding position, despite Kagiso Rabada dismissing fellow countrymen Faf du Plessis and Cameron Green early in the innings.
Kohli’s milestone fifty, his 100th in T20 cricket, arrived in just 31 balls, showcasing his dominance with the bat. He continued to unleash aggressive shots, keeping the pressure on Punjab Kings, although they managed to somewhat contain the run flow. Kohli’s attacking strokeplay included an inside-out six off Chahar, following a couple of tight overs, and a well-timed pull shot to welcome Harshal Patel back into the attack. Despite losing Rajat Patidar and Maxwell cheaply to Harpreet Brar’s bowling, Kohli remained focused, pushing RCB’s score forward.
He further strengthened his innings with consecutive boundaries off Harshal, moving into the 70s, but Punjab Kings found hope as the bowler managed to dismiss him. Despite Kohli’s dismissal, his aggressive batting had already made a significant impact, setting up Royal Challengers Bangalore for a strong position in the match.
Kohli’s Powerplay Brilliance Drives Royal Challengers’ Charge
Despite the missed opportunity by Jonny Bairstow, who failed to hold on to a sharp catch at slip off Sam Curran’s bowling, Virat Kohli showed no intention of squandering the chance or the favorable conditions during the powerplay. Aware of the pitch’s unpredictable nature and the shorter lengths he would face, Kohli adopted an aggressive approach, frequently charging down the pitch and executing shots through the line, sometimes aerially, to maneuver past the off-side field.
During the initial four overs, Kohli showcased his intent by striking eight boundaries. Even after facing a challenging sixth over from Curran, he had accelerated to 35 runs off just 21 balls, contributing significantly to Royal Challengers Bangalore’s powerplay score of 50. Remarkably, this total exceeded Punjab Kings’ score by precisely 10 runs in the corresponding period with the bat.
Kohli maintained his brisk scoring rate, surpassing his overall powerplay strike-rate from the previous year by an additional 30 points. Despite facing resistance from the impressive Harpreet Brar, who delivered an exceptional spell (2 for 13) and slowed down the scoring rate during the middle overs, Kohli persisted in finding boundaries to ensure Royal Challengers Bangalore remained competitive with the required scoring rate.
