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Ahead of the big IPL 2026 match between Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) and Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) in Raipur on May 13, all eyes were on Virat Kohli as the former Indian captain was coming into the game after being out for two consecutive ducks.
When questions were raised on his form, Virat Kohli answered everything in his own style. Chasing a tough target of 193, the RCB superstar played one of those classic Kohli innings where every shot looked calculated, every run mattered, and the pressure could never touch him.
Virat Kohli silenced the critics by scoring a brilliant 105* in the RCB vs KKR IPL 2026 match.
The former India captain remained unbeaten on 105 off just 60 balls to lead RCB to a six-wicket win over KKR in Raipur. His match-winning innings included 11 fours and three sixes, but it was his smart batting and brilliant running between the wickets that impressed everyone.
Also read: “The game needs you”: Dwayne Bravo’s emotional request sparks new discussion on Virat Kohli’s T20I comeback
Modern T20 cricket is all about power-hitting, but Kohli showed that proper timing, placement and awareness of the game is still enough to chase down the target. KKR bowlers kept changing plans, but nothing worked against the right-arm pacer during the IPL 2026 encounter.
Kohli’s stump mic joke with Manish Pandey goes viral
Meanwhile, Kohli not only made headlines for his brilliant century during the IPL 2026 clash between KKR and RCB but also for his bromance with his former Under-19 teammate Manish Pandey and his funny moment with his former Raipur teammate Cameron Green.
Now, another funny moment involving Kohli and Pandey during the RCB vs KKR match has gone viral on social media. In fact, the joke made by this fast-paced right-handed batsman about his shot selection created a stir on social media. In the viral clip, Kohli is seen talking to Manish Pandey on the field.
During the conversation, the RCB batsman, captured on the stump mic, jokingly said that since he no longer plays T20 cricket for India, he can now play all types of shots freely without any pressure. Kohli was heard saying, “Ab Bharat liye thodi khelna hai T20, toh ab har shot lagega” (Now I don’t have to play T20, so I will play all the shots).”
From Virat Kohli to Manish Pandey during last night’s match:
“Now we have to play some T20 for India, so now every shot will be taken.” ???pic.twitter.com/QLP7L50dxn
– Virat Kohli FanTeam (@ViratFanTeam) 14 May 2026
From Virat Kohli to Manish Pandey during last night’s match:
“Now we have to play some T20 for India, so now every shot will be taken.” ??? pic.twitter.com/qRybgVoST4
– Mufaddal Vohra (@mufaddal_vohra) 14 May 2026
Virat Kohli rewrote IPL history
Meanwhile, Kohli achieved many achievements during his brilliant century. Kohli became the first Indian batsman to score 10 centuries in T20 cricket. He also became the fastest batsman in cricket history to complete 14,000 runs in the shorter format of the game.
This was the RCB icon’s first and ninth IPL century since the 2023 season. With his 279th IPL match, Kohli also became the player with the most matches in the history of the tournament, surpassing both MS Dhoni (278) and Rohit Sharma (278).
Sunil Gavaskar says no one can chase a target better than Kohli
After Kohli’s record-breaking match, legendary Indian batsman Sunil Gavaskar praised the former captain. “Kohli knows how to chase targets better than most players in world cricket,” Gavaskar said on Star Sports’ GeoStar Cricket Live.
Kohli was absolutely excellent against KKR. He proved that the older generation is still the best. Even though young stars are coming into the centre, the seasoned veterans are not ready yet. This century of Virat Kohli was one of those special moments which reminds us of his greatness.”
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