Virat Kohli crafted a knock to savour on May 13 as he blasted a 60-ball 105 in match No. 57 of the ongoing IPL to help Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) thump Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) by six wickets and five balls to spare. The former RCB captain broke MS Dhoni’s record for playing the most number of games in the IPL.
Virat, Dhoni and Rohit Sharma were all tied at 278 before the RCB vs KKR clash at the Shaheed Veer Narayan Singh International Stadium in Raipur, Chhattisgarh. However, Kohli’s inclusion in RCB’s playing XI against KKR helped him surpass Rohit and Dhoni’s tally. He now has 279 appearances in the IPL.
Most matches by a player in the IPL
- V Kohli: (2008‑2026): 279 Matches
- MS Dhoni: (2008‑2025): 278 Matches
- RG Sharma: (2008‑2026): 278 Matches
- RA Jadeja: (2008‑2026): 265 Matches
- KD Karthik: (2008‑2024): 257 Matches
- S Dhawan: (2008‑2024): 222 Matches
- R Ashwin: (2009‑2025): 221 Matches
- AM Rahane: (2008‑2026): 209 Matches
- SK Raina: (2008‑2021): 205
Virat Kohli shatters Chris Gayle’s all-time T20 batting record
But perhaps the biggest record attained by Virat came much later when he was involved in scaling the 193-run target posted by KKR on the scoreboard. During the course of his unbeaten century, Kohli breached the 14000-run mark in T20 cricket.
He became the fastest (in terms of innings) to reach the milestone, going past his former RCB teammate Chris Gayle. Fondly known as the Universe Boss, Gayle had scaled the milestone in 423 innings. Virat took 14 fewer innings to reach there in just 409 innings.
Players with fewest innings to 14000 T20 runs
- 409 innings: Virat Kohli
- 423 innings: Chris Gayle
- 431 innings: David Warner
- 468 innings: Jos Buttler
- 505 innings: Alex Hales
- 633 innings: Kieron Pollard
Meanwhile, Virat’s knock has pushed RCB closer to a playoff berth. The defending champions have secured 16 points. Two wins in their two remaining games will guarantee them a playoff berth.
