Virat Kohli sets new bar in Indian cricket with record-extending IPL century to all but confirm RCB’s playoff berth

Virat Kohli's unbeaten 105 guided Royal Challengers Bengaluru to a six-wicket win over Kolkata Knight Riders in IPL 2026.

Virat Kohli turned Raipur into another entry in his chase archive as Royal Challengers Bengaluru beat Kolkata Knight Riders by six wickets with three balls remaining in IPL 2026 on Wednesday. Chasing 193, Kohli remained unbeaten on 105 off 60 balls and carried RCB to the top of the table.

Virat Kohli after his century against KKR. (PTI)

The hundred was Kohli’s ninth in IPL history, extending his record for the most centuries in the tournament. It came after two consecutive golden ducks and arrived on a night when RCB needed a win to strengthen their playoff position. By the end of the chase, Kohli had converted pressure into command and left KKR on the edge of elimination.

Kohli turns 193 into a controlled chase

KKR had enough on the board to make the chase difficult. Sent in to bat, they posted 192/4, with Angkrish Raghuvanshi scoring 71 and Rinku Singh finishing unbeaten on 49. Kolkata recovered after losing Finn Allen and Ajinkya Rahane early, with Raghuvanshi giving the innings shape through the middle overs and Rinku providing the late push.

Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Josh Hazlewood and Rasikh Salam Dar picked up one wicket each for RCB, but KKR still reached a total that kept the match open. On a night with playoff implications, 192 was a competitive score. It needed clarity from RCB’s chase.

Kohli supplied it.

He opened the innings with Jacob Bethell and gave RCB early momentum. Vaibhav Arora was punished for four boundaries, as Kohli ensured the asking rate never became a burden. KKR had a major chance when Rovman Powell dropped Kohli on 21. They also missed Devdutt Padikkal soon after. Those errors became decisive as the chase moved deeper.

Virat Kohli and Padikkal controlled the middle overs and kept RCB ahead of the equation. The innings never became frantic because Kohli kept finding gaps, rotating strike and punishing anything loose. He reached the final stretch with the match in RCB’s hands and completed his hundred before finishing the chase unbeaten.

The 105 not out carried more than personal weight. It took Kohli further clear at the top of the IPL century chart, with nine hundreds, three ahead of Chris Gayle and Jos Buttler. It also ended a mini-slump in the sharpest possible way after two ducks had brought extra attention to his form.

For RCB, the win is massive. They moved to the top of the IPL 2026 table and strengthened their playoff push with two league matches left. The chase showed the value of experience in a tense run chase, with Kohli anchoring the innings without allowing the tempo to drop.

For KKR, the defeat is close to fatal. They are not officially out until the mathematics closes, but the practical route has almost disappeared. The loss leaves them dependent on other results, net run rate and multiple favourable outcomes. Their maximum possible points tally no longer gives them control of their own campaign.

KKR had runs on the board. They had chances in the field. They had Kohli dropped early. None of it was enough. RCB walked away with the win, the top spot and another Kohli century night. Kolkata walked away with 192/4, a six-wicket defeat, and a playoff campaign now hanging by a thread.