JAIPUR: Royal Challengers Bengaluru batting maestro Virat Kohli toppled a massive record while pulling off his chase masterclass against Rajasthan Royals and became just the second batter to complete a century of half-centuries in the T20 format.
In the ongoing 18th edition of the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2025, Virat played the anchor role for the Royal Challengers during their pursuit of a competitive 174-run target. While Salt went berserk at one end, Virat maintained his composure to keep the scoreboard ticking with his commanding strike rotation.
Virat joined the former flamboyant Australian opener for the record in the 15th over after dispatching the ball past the boundary rope to register his 100th fifty in the T20s. He put on his dancing shoes and took the aerial route by converting the in-drifter into half volley to loft the ball handsomely over long-on for a maximum.
The Indian stalwart entered the exclusive club, which solely featured Warner as its sole member. The former Australia star boasts a staggering 108 half-centuries in the T20 format.
During RCB’s one-sided chase, Virat certainly had fortune on his side. On the first delivery of the fourth over, Virat ambled down the track and skewed it high in the air off Sandeep Sharma. Riyan Parag, with sunglasses on, sprinted towards the landing zone of the ball, got a hand on it, but eventually spilt it.
After receiving an early lifeline, Virat punished Rajasthan’s loose deliveries by targeting the boundary rope. With the 92-run opening stand broken after Phil Salt returned with his explosive 65 from 33 deliveries, Virat raised an unbeaten 83-run partnership with Devdutt Padikkal for the second wicket to steer Bengaluru to a comfortable 9-wicket triumph.
The ‘Chase Master’ returned to the dressing room with an unbeaten 62 from 45 deliveries and his third fifty in the ongoing edition of the IPL. His sizzling 62 was laced with four boundaries and two maximums. Following its fourth win in the season, RCB moved to the third spot with eight points behind Delhi Capitals and Gujarat Titans. (ANI)
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