Virat Kohli becomes first batter to 4000 IPL runs in chases

Bengaluru (Karnataka) [India], March 29 (ANI): Indian stalwart Virat Kohli etched his name into the record books by becoming the first batter in the history of the Indian Premier League to cross 4000 runs in run chases.

The right-handed batter achieved this historic feat during the IPL 2026 opener between the defending champions Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) and the Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) at the M. Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bengaluru on Saturday.

Additonally, Kohli also surpassed former Pakistan batter Shoaib Malik to become the sixth-highest run-getter in T20 cricket. Malik has made 13571 runs in T20 557 matches and 515 innings. The former cricketer had an average of 35.99, including 83 half-centuries in the shortest format.

Coming to the match, Sunrisers Hyderabad staged a strong recovery from an early collapse to post a competitive 201/9 against the defending champions in the IPL 2026 opener.

After losing three quick wickets of Abhishek Sharma, Travis Head and Nitish Reddy in the power play, a brilliant knock from Ishan Kishan and key contributions down the order powered Hyderabad past the 200-run mark.

Ishan Kishan, who is the stand-in skipper for Hyderabad, hammered 80 runs off 38 deliveries, including eight fours and five sixes. Ankiet Verma played a blistering knock of 18-ball 43, including three fours and four maximums.

For the defending champions, Jacob Duffy (3/22) and Romario Shepherd (3/54) scalped three wickets apiece. Bhuvneshwar Kumar (1/31), Abhinandan Singh (1/38), and Suyash Sharma (1/28) bagged one wicket apiece.

In response, Kohli played a match-winning, unbeaten knock of 69 off 38 deliveries, including five fours and as many sixes.

Apart from him, Impact Player Devdutt Padikkal hammered 61 off 26 balls, with seven fours and four sixes.

Skipper Rajat Patidar played a blistering knock of 12-ball 31, with three sixes and two fours as Bengaluru won the high-scoring contest by four wickets.

The defending champions also chase down the fastest 200-plus runs in the history of IPL. Bengaluru chase down the 202-run target in 15.4 overs. (ANI)

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