Royal Challengers Bengaluru captain Rajat Patidar’s side produced a dominant display in IPL 2026, and the night also belonged to Virat Kohli as he became the first player to reach 9,000 runs in the league. Kohli reached the milestone in the match against Delhi Capitals in New Delhi on Monday, needing only 11 runs to get there and sealing it with a single off Axar Patel. The innings-setting moment came amid a convincing nine-wicket win as RCB bowled Delhi out for 75, the lowest team total of the season.
Key takeaways
- Virat Kohli became the inaugural batter to score 9,000 IPL runs.
- The landmark was achieved during RCB’s IPL 2026 game versus Delhi Capitals in New Delhi on Monday.
- Kohli required 11 runs for the milestone and got there by hitting a single off Axar Patel.
- RCB restricted Delhi Capitals to 75, their lowest total of the season, and won by nine wickets.
- Bhuvneshwar Kumar returned figures of 3/5 and Josh Hazlewood took 4/12 as RCB shared seven wickets between them.
- RCB chased the target in 6.3 overs, with Devdutt Padikkal (34), Jacob Bethell (20) and Kohli (23) driving the run chase.
Kohli’s landmark and the run-rich leaderboard
Virat Kohli’s milestone innings marked a historic first in IPL history: he crossed the 9,000-run mark to become the only batter to reach the figure first. The achievement came in RCB’s contest against Delhi Capitals, played in New Delhi on Monday. Kohli’s path to the landmark was swift, as he only needed 11 more runs before he reached the milestone, collecting it with a single off Axar Patel.
With Kohli moving to the summit, Rohit Sharma sits second in the elite list with 7,183 runs. Shikhar Dhawan is next on 6,769, followed by David Warner on 6,565 and KL Rahul with 5,579.
Delhi bundled out for 75 as RCB’s bowlers took over
Delhi Capitals were asked to bat after RCB won the toss and chose to bowl. The partnership between RCB’s pace options delivered the decisive blows early, with Bhuvneshwar Kumar striking for 3/5 and Josh Hazlewood producing 4/12. Together, the two fast bowlers accounted for seven wickets, setting a relentless tone for the innings.
Support from the rest of the bowling unit ensured Delhi never gained momentum. Rasikh Salam Dar took 1/21 and Syuash Sharma also contributed by claiming 1/7. In the end, Delhi Capitals were dismissed for 75, which stands as the lowest total registered by any team in the season so far.
For Delhi, Abishek Porel made 30 runs, while David Miller scored 19 and Kyle Jamieson added 12. Their efforts came after an early squeeze: Delhi were reduced to 8 for 6 in the fourth over, leaving them with little room to rebuild.
RCB chase completed in 6.3 overs
Chasing the small target, RCB got the job done quickly. Devdutt Padikkal led the chase with 34, Jacob Bethell contributed 20, and Virat Kohli added 23 as the side reached the target in 6.3 overs without needing to go long into the innings.
Patidar on execution, early wickets and routine
After the match, Rajat Patidar spoke about how the game unfolded and praised the bowling unit for shaping the contest. He said even he was surprised by how the wicket played, adding that the credit belonged to the bowlers—highlighting Bhuvneshwar and Hazlewood in particular—for hitting the right areas. Patidar noted that while the swing was not extraordinary, the team’s ability to secure early wickets kept RCB in control.
He also pointed to the quality of Suyash’s bowling, describing it as stump-to-stump and something he enjoyed seeing. Patidar stressed the importance of sticking to routines, saying the team was taking things one match at a time, with different players stepping up and performing. He concluded by reflecting on T20 cricket in general, arguing that even on flat tracks, strong bowling can be the factor that wins tournaments because bowlers can make the decisive difference.
