Star Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) batsman Virat Kohli registered his 100th T20 fifty-plus score, becoming the first Indian and only third player overall to do so. Virat achieved this milestone during RCB’s Indian Premier League (IPL) match against Punjab Kings (PBKS) at the Chinaswammy Stadium. The match saw the 35-year-old back to his best after a disappointing outing against Chennai Super Kings. He scored 77 runs in 49 balls, with 11 fours and two sixes. He scored his runs at a strike rate of over 157.
In 378 appearances, Virat scored 12,092 runs at an average of 41.26, with eight centuries and 92 fifties. His best score is 122*. Virat is India’s leading T20 rungetter and is sixth in the overall standings.
In terms of most scores over fifty, Virat tops: West Indian batsman Chris Gayle (110 scores over fifty, including 22 centuries) and Australian great David Warner (109 scores over fifty, including eight centuries).
The match, which was fielded by RCB, saw Punjab Kings (PBKS) get their batters started but none of them could make anything big of it. Skipper Shikhar Dhawan (45 in 37 balls with five fours and a six), Jitesh Sharma (27 in 20 balls with a four and two sixes) and Sam Curran (23 in 17 balls) played decent knocks, but to a batting friendly Chinnaswammy, PBKS could only muster 176/6 in 20 overs.
Mohammed Siraj (26/2) and Glenn Maxwell (29/2) took two scalps each. Yash Dayal and Alzarri Joseph took a wicket each.
Chasing 177, RCB continued to lose wickets at regular intervals, but Virat (77 in 49 balls, with 11 fours and two sixes) steadied the ship at the other end. After his dismissal, things became difficult for RCB, but finishes from Dinesh Karthik (28* in 10 balls, with three fours and two sixes) and Mahipal Lomror (17* in eight balls, with two fours and a six) guided the team to a four-wicket win with four balls to spare.
Harpreet Brar (2/13) and Kagiso Rabada (2/23) were the pick of the bowlers for PBKS.
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