Virat Kohli rarely takes the field these days without adding another line to the record books, and the IPL 2026 clash between Royal Challengers Bengaluru and Punjab Kings on Sunday was no exception. Kohli struck 58 off 37 balls and, in the process, achieved two standout milestones. He moved beyond his own mark for the most IPL runs against a single franchise, bringing his total to 1,215 runs versus Punjab Kings. That haul bettered his previous high of 1,174 runs against Chennai Super Kings.
Kohli also underlined his knack for building big moments by stitching two separate partnerships worth 50 or more in the same match, first with Devdutt Padikkal and then with Venkatesh Iyer. Those stands helped him level England batter Alex Hales for the most 50-plus partnerships in men’s T20 cricket, with both players now having 210 such partnerships to their name.
RCB set the tone with Venkatesh’s finish
In the first innings, Venkatesh Iyer took centre stage for Royal Challengers Bengaluru, blasting an unbeaten 73 off 40 balls to steer the team to 222 for four against Punjab Kings. Kohli’s 58 off 37, Padikkal’s 45 off 25, and Tim David’s quick 28 off 12 were the other key contributions as RCB posted a target that demanded respect.
For Punjab Kings, the match carried extra weight as they needed victory to keep their slim playoff hopes alive. A win would guarantee a playoff place for Royal Challengers Bengaluru, and the early phase reflected that intensity. Despite Jacob Bethell being dismissed early—sent back by Harpreet Brar—RCB recovered well, leaning on Kohli and Padikkal, who kept the scoreboard ticking with boundaries and sharp strike rotation on what proved to be a batting-friendly surface.
Kohli looked in rhythm from the moment he found the middle, making effective use of the pace offered by Arshdeep Singh and Lockie Ferguson. Padikkal, meanwhile, countered the challenge posed by both pace and spin, ensuring Punjab’s bowlers never got comfortable or found a settled pattern. Even after Bethell’s wicket, RCB’s approach during the powerplay helped tilt momentum quickly in their direction, with Kohli’s quick wristy strokes and Padikkal’s clean lofted hitting pushing the run-rate above 10 an over through the first half of the innings.
At 101 for two, RCB were in control at the halfway point, with Kohli holding one end steady and Venkatesh Iyer coming in after Padikkal’s dismissal. Kohli reached his 67th IPL half-century off 31 balls before his innings ended in the deep. He failed to get the elevation he wanted against Yuzvendra Chahal, who finished with figures of 1/42 after conceding 21 runs in his opening over.
RCB did not lose their momentum after the wickets of Padikkal and Kohli. Venkatesh took charge through the middle overs, batting aggressively to tighten their grip on the contest and moving RCB to 157 for three at the end of 15 overs. Continuing to look dangerous, he deposited Ferguson for sixes over long-off and long-on to take the score to 187 for three in 17 overs.
With intent against both pace and spin, Venkatesh peppered the HPCA ground with boundaries, while Tim David attacked from the outset in his usual style, adding further pressure in the later stages. After the strategic timeout, Punjab managed to slow the run flow slightly, but RCB remained firmly in command heading into the death overs, with plenty of wickets in hand.
With PTI inputs
