Venkatesh Iyer made the most of his chance with a fluent 40-ball 73 not out, while Virat Kohli once again delivered with a classy 58 off 37 balls as Royal Challengers Bengaluru posted a strong 222 for 4 against Punjab Kings in Dharamsala. After being asked to bat first, RCB built their innings on steady partnerships and timely acceleration. Devdutt Padikkal played a useful hand with 45 off 25 balls, giving the innings momentum through the middle overs, before Tim David provided a late surge with a quickfire 28 off 12 deliveries. It was a well-rounded batting effort, with multiple contributors stepping up at different stages to push RCB to a commanding total on a good batting surface.
It was yet another milestone day for Kohli, who has now crossed the 500-run mark in an IPL season for a record ninth time, further extending his dominance in the tournament’s history. The RCB star continues to set the benchmark for consistency year after year, staying ahead of the rest of the pack in terms of high-scoring seasons.
He is now well clear of the next best names on the list, with David Warner and KL Rahul both having achieved the feat on seven occasions each. Kohli’s latest achievement only adds to his remarkable IPL legacy, underlining his longevity and ability to deliver across seasons.
Most 500-plus seasons in the IPL
9 – Virat Kohli
7 – David Warner
7 – KL Rahul
5 – Shikhar Dhawan
He also changed his preferred IPL opposition in terms of runs, moving past CSK to now have his highest aggregate against PBKS. The batting star has scored a total of 1,127 runs against Punjab, which remains the most runs by any batter against a single opponent in IPL history.
Most runs vs an opponent in the IPL
1127 – Virat Kohli vs PBKS (Avg: 37.15)
1174 – Virat Kohli vs CSK (Avg: 37.87)
1172 – Virat Kohli vs DC (Avg: 48.83)
1161 – Rohit Sharma vs KKR (Avg: 40.03)
1134 – David Warner vs PBKS (Avg: 49.3)
1126 – Virat Kohli vs KKR (Avg: 45.04)
The record-breaking run for Kohli continued as his consistency in building partnerships once again stood out. From setting IPL records for 50-plus stands with non-openers in a season to featuring among the all-time leaders for 50-plus stands in men’s T20 cricket, Kohli keeps finding his name in elite partnership lists across formats.
Most 50-plus stands by a non-opening pair in an IPL season
7 – Virat Kohli and AB de Villiers in 2016 (13 inns)
6 – Michael Hussey and Suresh Raina in 2013 (12 inns)
6 – Suryakumar Yadav and Tilak Varma in 2025 (10 inns)
6 – Virat Kohli and Devdutt Padikkal in 2026 (9 inns)
Batters involved in most 50-plus stands in Men’s T20s
210 – Alex Hales
210 – Virat Kohli
200 – David Warner
196 – Babar Azam
191 – Chris Gayle
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Meanwhile, with the 222-run score, RCB pipped rivals Chennai Super Kings in the list of most 200-plus scores in T20S as they are now just behind the Indian cricket team.
Most 200-plus totals recorded in Men’s T20 cricket
50 – India
44 – RCB
43 – CSK
41 – PBKS
40 – Somerset
Punjab leak runs again
However, it was a tough day with the ball for Punjab Kings as they conceded 200-plus runs for a record-extending 46th time, further adding to an unwanted list they continue to top. RCB are close behind in second place with 40 such instances, highlighting how often both sides have been on the receiving end of big totals in the IPL.
Most 200-plus totals conceded in Men’s T20 cricket
46 – PBKS
40 – RCB
35 – DC
34 – RR
34 – SRH
33 – Middlesex
It was another unwanted record for skipper Shreyas Iyer, as teams under his captaincy have now conceded 200-plus totals on 31 occasions in men’s T20 cricket – the most by any captain.
Most 200-plus totals conceded under a captain (Men’s T20s)
31 – Shreyas Iyer
29 – Faf du Plessis
28 – MS Dhoni
21 – Babar Azam
20 – Rishabh Pant