Virat Kohli delivered yet another defining chapter in IPL history on Sunday, with the Himalayas providing a picturesque backdrop in Dharamsala. In Royal Challengers Bengaluru’s match against Punjab Kings at the Himachal Pradesh Cricket Association Stadium, Kohli added to his own record by becoming the batter with the highest number of runs against a single opponent in the tournament’s history. His latest effort took him past the mark he had previously set against Chennai Super Kings, and it also underlined how consistently he has troubled Punjab Kings over the years.
Before this game, Kohli’s best tally against one side stood at 1,174 runs versus CSK. Against PBKS, he moved beyond that figure and ended up with 1,217 runs in total, thanks to a knock of 58 runs on the day. The innings came off 37 balls, and Kohli’s strike did not go unnoticed even as the match unfolded around him.
The numbers across IPL history now read as follows for most runs against a single opponent: 1,217 — Virat Kohli vs PBKS, 1,174 — Virat Kohli vs CSK, 1,172 — Virat Kohli vs DC, 1,161 — Rohit Sharma vs Kolkata Knight Riders, 1,134 — David Warner vs PBKS, and 1,126 — Virat Kohli vs KKR.
Kohli’s day was also marked by another milestone. During his innings, he reached 500 runs in IPL 2026, a landmark that further cemented his standing among the competition’s most reliable performers. With that achievement, the former RCB captain recorded his ninth IPL season of 500 or more runs, extending his record for the most such campaigns in the league. Kohli now has 542 runs in IPL 2026.
Warner and KL Rahul are next in the list with seven seasons each of 500-plus returns, while Shikhar Dhawan has managed five. Kohli has now clearly widened the gap at the top of that particular chart, reflecting both longevity and impact across multiple editions.
For RCB, the importance of Kohli’s form this season has been plain to see as Bengaluru continue their push for a playoff place. Even so, his innings ended abruptly: he was dismissed on the final delivery of the 15th over after scoring 58 off 37 balls, with Yuzvendra Chahal responsible for the breakthrough.
Earlier in the match, Punjab Kings won the toss and elected to bowl first. The contest carried extra significance for Shreyas Iyer as well, with it marking his 100th IPL game as captain. At the time of the clash, RCB were positioned at the top of the points table, having collected eight wins from 12 matches, while Punjab Kings arrived looking to snap a run of five straight defeats.
