Virat Kohli Records Ninth IPL Century to Lead RCB Past Kolkata Knight Riders
RAIPUR – Virat Kohli ended a brief scoring drought by registering his ninth career century, anchoring Royal Challengers Bengaluru to a six-wicket win over Kolkata Knight Riders on Wednesday. Chasing 193 after a delayed start, RCB secured the victory with five deliveries remaining to claim the top position in the standings.
Match Statistics and Final Scores
| Team | Total Score | Key Batting Performances | Top Bowler |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kolkata Knight Riders | 192/4 (20 overs) | Angkrish Raghuvanshi (71), Rinku Singh (49*) | Kartik Tyagi (3/32) |
| Royal Challengers Bengaluru | 194/4 (19.1 overs) | Virat Kohli (105*), Devdutt Padikkal (39) | Bhuvneshwar Kumar (1/34) |
Kohli Drives the Run Chase
Entering the match following consecutive ducks, Kohli established control immediately. He accelerated during the powerplay, hitting four boundaries in a single over against Vaibhav Arora. Keeping the required run rate manageable, Kohli reached his half-century in 32 balls.
Kohli shared a 92-run partnership with Devdutt Padikkal, who contributed 39 runs off 27 deliveries with seven boundaries. Kohli completed his century with a single off Arora in the final stages of the match, finishing unbeaten on 105 from 60 balls. The innings marks his ninth century, the most by any batter in the tournament’s history.
Most Centuries in IPL History
- Virat Kohli – 9
- Jos Buttler – 7
- Chris Gayle – 6
The successful chase elevates RCB above the Gujarat Titans to the top of the points table.
Raghuvanshi and Rinku Power KKR
The match commenced after a 75-minute weather delay due to a wet outfield. Kolkata Knight Riders posted a competitive 192 for four, driven by a 46-ball 71 from Angkrish Raghuvanshi.
KKR faced early setbacks when Finn Allen (18) was caught behind off Bhuvneshwar Kumar and captain Ajinkya Rahane (19) was dismissed by a short delivery from Josh Hazlewood. At 56 for two following the powerplay, Raghuvanshi stabilized the innings alongside Cameron Green, who scored 32 off 24 balls during a 68-run stand.
Raghuvanshi recorded his fourth half-century of the season, executing a short-arm pull against Jacob Duffy and hitting Krunal Pandya for a six. He added 76 runs with Rinku Singh before being run out on the final delivery of the innings. Rinku Singh finished unbeaten on 49 off 29 balls, falling one run short of a half-century.