Kohli powers RCB win as Raipur witnesses historic record spree

Virat Kohli once again took center stage on Wednesday night as he powered Royal Challengers Bengaluru to a commanding six-wicket win over Kolkata Knight Riders in Raipur. However, the victory brought more than just two points for Bengaluru. It also delivered another reminder that Kohli still dominates the biggest moments in T20 cricket.

Fans packed the Shaheed Veer Narayan Singh Stadium hours before the first ball. Chants of “Kohli, Kohli” echoed through the stands even during warm-ups. Then the former RCB captain responded with an innings that mixed patience, timing and calculated aggression.

RCB chased 193 under pressure. Yet Kohli never looked rushed. He started carefully and picked gaps instead of forcing boundaries early in the innings. Soon after, he shifted gears and took complete control of the chase. He remained unbeaten on 105 from just 60 balls and smashed 11 fours along with three sixes.

The century carried extra weight because Kohli entered the match after two consecutive ducks. Questions around his form started growing in recent days. Still, the veteran batter answered critics in typical fashion — with runs under lights and records on the scoreboard.

Kolkata also missed a key opportunity early in the innings. Rovman Powell dropped Kohli when he stood on 21. That moment changed the match completely. Kohli punished every loose delivery afterward and slowly pushed KKR out of the contest.

Meanwhile, Devdutt Padikkal gave Kohli strong support from the other end. The pair added 92 runs and kept the required rate under control throughout the middle overs. Padikkal scored a fluent 39 before departing at a crucial stage. Later, Jitesh Sharma finished the chase with a boundary as RCB crossed the target with five balls remaining.

The win pushed Bengaluru to the top of the IPL 2026 table with 16 points from 12 matches. As a result, the team now holds a strong chance of securing a top-two finish before the playoffs. In contrast, KKR now face a tougher road in the qualification race.

Still, much of the conversation after the match revolved around Kohli’s milestones. The RCB star became the most-capped player in IPL history with his 279th appearance, moving past MS Dhoni. He also became only the sixth batter to complete 14,000 runs in T20 cricket.

Moreover, Kohli reached that landmark faster than anyone else in the format. He broke the previous record held by Chris Gayle. The century against KKR also marked Kohli’s 10th hundred in T20 cricket, placing him among an elite group that includes Babar Azam and David Warner.

Kohli also matched Rohit Sharma with 21 Player of the Match awards in IPL history. By the end of the night, scoreboards, fans and statistics all pointed toward the same conclusion. Kohli did not just win a match in Raipur. He turned the evening into another landmark chapter in an already historic career.