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NEW DELHI: In a groundbreaking achievement, Virat Kohli became the first player in IPL history to score over 4,000 runs while chasing targets. This remarkable milestone was reached during the opening match of IPL 2026, where his team, Royal Challengers Bengaluru, faced off against Sunrisers Hyderabad in Bengaluru.
Kohli Surpasses Shoaib Malik
In addition to his chasing records, Kohli has now surpassed Shoaib Malik to become the sixth-highest run-scorer in the history of T20 cricket.
Hyderabad’s Strong Fightback
Sunrisers Hyderabad began their innings on a challenging note, losing early wickets including Abhishek Sharma, Travis Head, and Nitish Reddy during the powerplay. However, Ishan Kishan, stepping in as stand-in captain, played a pivotal role, scoring 80 runs off just 38 balls. He was supported well by Ankiet Verma, who contributed a quick-fire 43 runs, helping their team post a competitive total of 201/9. Despite the challenging total, Bengaluru managed to keep things in check with bowlers like Jacob Duffy and Romario Shepherd, each taking three wickets.
Bengaluru’s Aggressive Chase
In response, Bengaluru adopted an aggressive batting approach as they chased a target of 202 runs. Virat Kohli anchored the innings with a stellar performance, scoring an unbeaten 69 runs off 38 balls. He received excellent support from Devdutt Padikkal, who smashed 61 runs off just 26 balls, and captain Rajat Patidar, contributing a brisk 31 runs. Their explosive performances allowed Bengaluru to seal the chase in just 15.4 overs, marking it as the fastest successful chase of a 200+ total in IPL history. With this victory, Bengaluru kicked off their title defense in style, while Kohli’s historic achievement took center stage.
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