Virat Kohli creates record, first batter to hit 800 fours in IPL

BENGALURU: Virat Kohli scripted history as he became the first batter in the Indian Premier League (IPL) to hit 800 fours. Kohli achieved the milestone during his knock of 81 runs in the Royal Challengers Bengaluru’s (RCB) match against the Gujarat Titans (GT) on Friday.

Virat Kohli now has 807 boundaries to his name in 274 IPL matches, the most by any batter in the tournament’s history. He is well clear of the second-placed Shikhar Dhawan on the list of batters with the most boundaries in IPL. Dhawan has 768 fours to his name.

Virat Kohli also became only the third batter to smash 300 sixes in IPL history, after Chris Gayle (357 sixes) and Rohit Sharma (310 sixes). Kohli now has 303 maximums to his name. Kohli scored 81 runs off 44 balls against GT, hitting eight boundaries and four sixes. With the knock, he also claimed the Orange Cap for being the highest run-scorer in the IPL 2026 at the moment.

𝗧𝗶𝗺𝗶𝗻𝗴, 𝗶𝗻𝗻𝗼𝘃𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻, 𝗘𝗫𝗘𝗖𝗨𝗧𝗜𝗢𝗡!

How good were those hits from Devdutt Padikkal and Virat Kohli

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Coming to the match, Kohli, along with Devdutt Padikkal, helped the Rajat Patidar-led team pull off a spectacular win by successfully chasing down a daunting target of 206 with seven balls to spare.

Chasing 206, RCB received an early jitter as GT pacer Mohammed Siraj got rid of RCB opener Jacob Bethell early, reducing RCB to 26/1 in 3 overs. However, the rest of RCB’s top order rose to the occasion. Virat Kohli, scoring a 44-ball 81, set the tone with a classic half-century, while Devdutt Padikkal (55 off 27 balls) provided excellent support. The duo kept the scoreboard ticking, ensuring the required rate never spiralled out of control. Together, they combined for a 115-run stand in just 59 balls.

After losing Kohli and Padikkal in quick succession, the game tightened in the middle overs when Rashid Khan and Manav Suthar picked up key wickets, leaving RCB at 175/5 after 16 overs. RCB stumbled in their chase as they lost Rajat Patidar (8) and Jitesh Sharma (10).

With 31 runs needed off the final four overs, the pressure was on, but Krunal Pandya (unbeaten 23 runs off 12 balls) emerged as the hero for the home side. Krunal took the attack to the GT bowlers. He took 15 runs off the 18th over, effectively breaking the back of the chase while Tim David contributed with an unbeaten nine-ball 10-run knock.

In the 19th over, Krunal finished things, pulling a short ball from Jason Holder to the deep square leg region for a single to seal the win as RCB reached 206/5 in 18.5 overs, securing two vital points and moving up to the second spot in the IPL 2026 points table. RCB now have 10 points in seven matches with five wins and two losses. (ANI)