Royal Challengers Bengaluru were held short at the M. Chinnaswamy Stadium on Saturday as Virat Kohli’s side slipped to Delhi Capitals in IPL 2026. Bengaluru posted 175/8 in their 20 overs after batting first, but DC completed the chase in 19.5 overs to take the points.
Quick facts
- Match: Royal Challengers Bengaluru vs Delhi Capitals, IPL 2026
- Venue: M. Chinnaswamy Stadium, Bengaluru
- RCB innings: 175/8 in 20 overs
- DC chase: reached the target in 19.5 overs
- Kohli’s batting: 19 off 13 balls, three fours (strike rate over 146)
Kohli made a brief but purposeful contribution in the Bengaluru innings, striking three boundaries in his 13-ball stay. The 19 runs did not inflate the total, yet his intent was clear from ball one as the innings unfolded. Over the years, he has increasingly leaned into attacking strokeplay in the IPL, and the latest season continues that trend.
Fielding also brought Kohli into the spotlight. During the RCB vs DC contest, he pushed for a DRS review after Bhuvneshwar Kumar delivered a ball that led to opener Pathum Nissanka being ruled not out by the on-field officials. Kohli could be heard urging, “Out hai,” and the review confirmed his call as the decision was overturned.
The numbers help explain the shift Kohli has made with the bat since 2021. His attacking-shot percentage was 40.6 in 2021, climbed to 50.3 in 2022, then rose again to 62.5 in 2023, 64.3 in 2024, and 68.0 in 2025. In IPL 2026, that figure has moved further up to 72.8.
Kohli’s season form
In six innings so far this season, Kohli has aggregated 247 runs at an average of 49.40 and a strike rate of 157.32. His output includes two fifties, with a top score of 69 not out, and he currently sits as the second-highest run-getter of the campaign.
Back to the match itself: Delhi Capitals won the toss and chose to bowl first. RCB started with intent, building a 52-run opening partnership between Phil Salt and Kohli, before the innings moved forward. Salt then set the tone, smashing 63 off 38 balls with four fours and three sixes, though the rest of the RCB batting order struggled to turn starts into big totals.
In the end, the innings closed at 175/8, leaving DC with a target they were able to chase comfortably. For Delhi, the wicket-taking load was shared effectively, with Axar Patel returning 2/18, Kuldeep Yadav 2/32, and Lungi Ngidi 2/39—each claiming two wickets to prevent RCB from extracting more from their promising early phase.
