Virat Kohli's batting wizardry was on the fore in the IPL 2024's match between Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) and Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) in Bengaluru on March 29. The RCB legend took charge, playing through the entire innings and finishing unbeaten on a blazing 83 runs off just 59 balls. His knock included a well-rounded mix of power, with four sixes, and precision, with four boundaries. This innings built upon his impressive return to form in the previous match against the Punjab Kings, where he led his team to victory with a match-winning 77 off 49 balls. Kohli wasted no time carrying that momentum into the clash with the Knight Riders, making a blistering start despite the early wicket loss of captain Faf du Plessis.
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Virat Kohli's innings started off with a bang. His incredible flick shot for six against the dangerous Mitchell Starc in the Powerplay overs set the perfect tone for RCB's chase. He continued to find the boundary with ease, helping them reach a strong position of 61 runs for the loss of just one wicket after the first six overs. It was Kohli who helped KKR post a challenging total of 182/6.
Virat Kohli scripts history
Riding on his super knock, Kohli scripted history. With his four sixes hit throughout the innings, Kohli surpassed his former Indian captain and Chennai Super Kings legend Mahendra Singh Dhoni for most sixes hit in IPL history. Dhoni previously held the fourth position with 240 sixes, but Kohli now sits comfortably in that spot with an impressive 241 sixes to his name.
Players with most sixes in IPL
S. No. | Player | Sixes |
1 | Chris Gayle | 357 |
2 | Rohit Sharma | 261 |
3 | AB de Villiers | 251 |
4 | Virat Kohli | 241 |
5 | MS Dhoni | 239 |
Virat Kohli's dominance wasn't limited to just the IPL record books. He also etched his name even deeper into RCB history. This knock saw him surpass the legendary Chris Gayle to become the franchise's all-time leader in sixes hit. This achievement is even more remarkable considering Kohli is the only player in the entire IPL to have played for a single team throughout the league's history, meaning all 241 of his sixes have come while wearing the red of RCB.
Players with most sixes for RCB:
S. No. | Players | Sixes |
1 | Virat Kohli | 241 |
2 | Chris Gayle | 239 |
3 | AB de Villiers | 238 |
4 | Glenn Maxwell | 67 |
5 | Faf du Plessis | 50 |
Fueled by Kohli's masterclass, RCB reached a competitive total of 182/6 wickets at the end of their innings. While Cameron Green (33) and Glenn Maxwell (28) provided valuable contributions in the middle overs, it was Dinesh Karthik who provided the final flourish. Dinesh Karthik smashed a quickfire 20 runs off just 8 balls, including three sixes, to ensure RCB had a strong total to defend.
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