Triple delight for Virat Kohli as he smashes records for RCB in IPL

LUCKNOW: Royal Challengers Bengaluru stalwart Virat Kohli became the first batter to complete 9,000 runs across IPL and CLT20 for a single franchise following his explosive display against Lucknow Super Giants on Tuesday at the Ekana Stadium.

The ‘Chase Master’ slammed his eighth fifty of the 18th season of the IPL and dethroned former Australia opener David Warner from the summit of the highest number of half-centuries struck by a player in the tournament’s history.

Virat achieved the elusive milestones in the final group stage fixture of the 18th season of the cash-rich league. The 36-year-old batting maestro is RCB’s highest-ever run-getter in history, combining statistics from IPL and now-defunct Champions League T20.

In 280 matches and 271 innings across IPL and CLT20, Virat has garnered 9,030 runs at an average of 39.60 and a strike rate of 133.69, including eight centuries and 65 fifties.

Virat has featured in 15 matches for RCB in CLT20 and garnered 424 runs at an average of 38.54 and a strike rate of 150.35, with two half-centuries, making him the franchise’s top run-getter in the tournament.

In the IPL, Virat has scored 8,606 runs in 265 matches and 257 innings at an average of 39.84, with eight centuries and 63 fifties. His best score is 113*. He is also the top run-getter in IPL history.

His long-time national compatriot Rohit Sharma is closest to Virat’s feat with a tally of 6,060 runs for the five-time champions Mumbai Indians in all T20s. He added another feather to his cap by racking up his 63rd fifty in the tournament, surpassing Warner’s tally of 62.

Virat’s record-shattering display saw him breach the highest 600-plus runs aggregate in an IPL edition. He has achieved the feat five times, in 2013 (634 runs in 16 matches with six fifties), 2016 (973 runs in 16 matches with four tons and seven fifties), 2023 (639 runs in 14 matches with two centuries and six fifties), 2024 (741 runs in 15 matches with a century and five fifties) and 2025 (602 runs in 14 matches with eight fifties), surpassing seasoned wicketkeeper-batter KL Rahul’s record of four.

Pursuing Lucknow’s daunting 228-run target, Virat opened his account with a boundary and reeled off four consecutive boundaries in the next over off Will O’Rourke. With his picture-perfect strokeplay, Virat tormented Lucknow’s frail bowling attack.

He continued to torment Lucknow with his relentless onslaught and struck his eighth fifty of the season by punching the ball hard and wide of extra cover. Virat’s exploits came to an end after he holed it to Ayush Badoni off Avesh Khan and returned with 54(30). The frustration was clear on Virat’s face as he slammed his bat into the pad and returned with his head down. (ANI)