Royal Challengers Bengaluru batter Virat Kohli produced a moment of pure audacity during their IPL 2026 clash against Chennai Super Kings on Sunday, launching a no-look six off CSK pacer Matt Henry that left spectators visibly stunned. Kohli’s innings was brief, but it mattered: he struck 28 runs from just 18 balls. In the fourth over of RCB’s innings, Kohli picked up a length delivery early and sent it sailing over mid-wicket with a sharp wristy flick. The unorthodox shot drew gasps from the stands, with Anushka Sharma—Kohli’s wife and a Bollywood star—also clearly impressed. Although Kohli couldn’t build further from his start, RCB delivered a standout all-round showing to complete a 43-run win over the bottom-placed CSK.
Looking at the contest in full, RCB’s victory was built on a dominant batting display led by Tim David, Rajat Patidar and Devdutt Padikkal, supported by Bhuvneshwar Kumar’s incisive spell of 3 wickets for 41 runs. Defending champions RCB capitalised on the platform they were given and powered their way to a convincing 43-run outcome against Chennai.
The headline battle unfolded when RCB’s batting line-up repeatedly struck through CSK’s bowling attack. David played a blistering hand of 70 not out from 25 balls, while Patidar finished unbeaten on 48 off 19 deliveries. Padikkal, meanwhile, set the tone with a fluent 50 off 29 balls—his second straight fifty of the season—helping RCB move towards a challenging team total.
Together, the trio’s impact swung the game firmly in RCB’s favour. A crucial, uninterrupted 99-run partnership came in just 35 balls between David and Patidar, with both batters unleashing dramatic range-hitting during the acceleration phase. That momentum carried RCB to a commanding total of 250/3, which also became the highest score in IPL 2026.
David’s finishing burst provided the final jolt. After clearing Noor Ahmad with three consecutive sixes, the right-hander took charge in the penultimate over by smashing Jamie Overton for four maximums and a four, reaching his second IPL half-century in only 21 balls. Even Kohli, watching from the dugout, rose to his feet as the power-hitting intensified.
Chasing the target, CSK struggled to handle the scoreboard pressure and never quite established control. Sarfaraz Khan’s 50 off 24 balls and Prashant Veer’s 43 were the only meaningful efforts amid a series of failures from the top order.
Bhuvneshwar Kumar once again showcased his disciplined lengths and lines, and he even crossed the 200-wicket milestone in IPL as the innings wore on. With support from the rest of the bowling group, CSK were eventually dismissed for 207 in 19.4 overs. The comprehensive nature of the win meant RCB also registered four straight victories over CSK for the first time in IPL history.
