Virat Kohli achieves major T20 landmark during 77-run knock in RCB vs PBKS IPL 2024 match
Virat Kohli created history on Monday, March 25, becoming the first Indian batter to register 100 50-plus scores in T20 cricket. The star achieved the feat during Royal Challengers Bengaluru's IPL 2024 game against Punjab Kings at the M Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bengaluru.
The 35-year-old Kohli smashed 77 off 49 as RCB got the better of PBKS by four wickets in match number six of this year's edition on Monday. His wonderful knock featured 11 fours and two sixes as the Royal Challengers chased down a target of 177 in 19.2 overs.
Kohli's half-century was his 92nd 50-plus score in the T20 format. He has also notched up eight hundreds - seven of them in the IPL and one for India in the Asia Cup against Afghanistan in Dubai in September 2022.
Following his knock on Monday, Kohli is at No. 3 among batters with most 50-plus scores in T20 cricket. The Indian star has exactly 100 scores of 50 or more from 377 games.
West Indies legend Chris Gayle tops the list, with 110 50-plus knocks from 463 games, while Australian run-machine David Warner (109 from 371 games) is second on the illustrious list.
Kohli is followed up former Pakistan captain Babar Azam (98 from 290 games) and England's white-ball captain Jos Buttler (86 from 404 games).
With the catch to dismiss Jonny Bairstow in the RCB vs PBKS IPL 2024 game, Kohli (173) also went past Suresh Raina (172) among Indian fielders with most catches in T20 cricket.
Coming to the RCB vs PBKS game, Punjab put up 176-6 after batting first, with captain Shikhar Dhawan top-scoring with 45 off 37, while Shashank Singh played an impressive cameo of 21* off eight.
Kohli set up RCB's chase with his sublime half-century even as wickets kept falling at the other end. Blazing cameos from veteran keeper-batter Dinesh Karthik (28* off 10) and Impact Player Mahipal Lomror (17* off 8) eventually took Bengaluru past the finish line.
"Don't get overexcited; it's just two games" - Kohli downplays getting Orange Cap
Following his knock against PBKS, Kohli became the Orange Cap holder for IPL 2024. However, he downplayed the significance of the same, saying that the tournament has only just started:
"Don't get overexcited, it's just two games. I know what this (orange cap) means. It's been going on for years. People talk a lot about playing the sport.
"At the end of the day you don't talk about the achievements, stats or numbers but the memories. It's what Rahul Dravid says. The friendship, love, appreciation, backing has been amazing and is what you'll miss and never forget," Kohli said after being named Player of the Match.
The former RCB captain has 98 runs in two games in IPL 2024, averaging 49, with a strike rate of 142.03.