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29 March 2024

'Superman' Kohli smashes Gayle's IPL runs record

Published
By Cricket Correspondent

Red-hot Virat Kohli smashed an unbeaten half-century to break Chris Gayle's record for the most runs in a single Indian Premier League season.

Kohli, captain of the Royal Challengers Bangalore, has racked up 752 runs in 12 matches so far this year including three centuries and five 50s.

Kohli's 75-run blitz on Monday kept the Challengers' play-off hopes alive after they crushed the Kolkata Knight Riders by nine wickets.

The Indian batsman overtakes the powerful Gayle, who scored 733 runs in 15 matches in 2012, while Australia's Mike Hussey tallied the same figure in 17 games in 2013.

Kohli, who batted with an injured finger, stitched together a 115-run unbeaten stand with AB de Villiers (59).

Their partnership comes just two days after they recorded the highest partnership (229) in Twenty20 cricket history during the Challengers' match against the Gujarat Lions.

Team-mate Gayle, who also found form at Eden Gardens with a 31-ball 49, paid credit to the in-form duo.

"Those two guys are playing like Batman and Superman. They are in the form of their life," said the Jamaican.

Royal Challengers Bangalore skipper Virat Kohli eclipsed his team-mate Chris Gayle's record of 733 runs in a single IPL season during his match-winning knock of 75 not out off 51 balls in Match 48 of IPL 2016 against Kolkata Knight Riders on Monday.

Gayle's 733 runs in 14 innings came in 2012 edition which was equalled by Chennai Super Kings' Michael Hussey the following year.

Kohli's tally after 12 matches stands at 752 runs having earlier broken Robin Uthappa's record for most runs by an Indian batsman in a single season, striking during his knock of109 off 55 balls against Gujarat Lions in his previous match.

With that ton, he had also become the first batsman to hit three centuries in a single IPL.

Kohli went past Uthappa's tally of 660, which was achieved in 2014 by the KKR wicketkeeper-batsman.

Qualifying

Royal Challengers Bangalore kept alive their hopes of qualifying for the Playoffs  after trouncing Kolkata Knight Riders by nine wickets.

Chasing a challenging target of 184, Gayle returned to form with an explosive knock of 49 which contained five boundaries and four sixes.

Unbeaten half centuries by Kohli (75) and AB de Villiers (59) during an unbroken 115-run stand for the second wicket as RCB made 186-1 off 18.4 overs.

Narine strikes back after being carted for a six over extra cover by trapping him leg before. RCB 71-1, 7.3 overs.

Chris Gayle lbw b Narine 49 (31b 5x4 4x6)

Gayle is back in form powering RCB to 63-0 after 6 overs.

Russell goes for 17 as Gayle clubs two sixes to the set Eden Gardens alight. RCB 32-0, 3 overs.

Solid half centuries by skipper Gambhir (51) and Pandey (50) followed by a 19-ball unbeaten 39 from Russell helped KKR make a challenging 183-5 after being put into bat by Kohli.

Shakib and Russell hammer a six apiece off Watson. KKR 161-5, 18 overs.

Suryakumar Yadav c Iqbal Abdulla b Aravind 5 (5b 1x4)

Chahal strikes removing Pathan who is marginally out of his crease. KKR 118-4, 14.1 overs.

Yusuf Pathan st Rahul b Chahal 6 (12b)

Pandey perishes holing out to long-on after completing his half century. KKR 113-3, 13.4 overs.

Manish Pandey c de Villiers b Aravind 50 (35b 5x4 2x6)

A terrible mix-up results in Gambhir having to depart. KKR 90-2, 10.3 overs.

Gautam Gambhir run out 51 (34b 7x4)

Pandey hits the first six of the match sweeping Chahal who is carted for a couple of boundaries by Gambhir. KKR 67-1, 7 overs.

Aravind goes for 15 as Gambhir slams another boundary while Pandey has cracked in two in succession. KKR 33-1, 4 overs.

Manish Pandey has opened his account by pulling Abdulla to midwicket. KKR 18-1, 3 overs.

Abdulla draws first blood latch onto a return catch as Uthappa chips it back with a tentative shot. KKR 14-1, 2.2 overs.

Robin Uthappa c and b Iqbal Abdulla 2 (4b)

Another boundary for Gambhir as he flicks Aravind. KKR 14-0, 2 overs.

Gambhir punches Binny through the covers for the first boundary of the match. KKR 8-0, 1 over.

Virat Kohli has called it right and RCB have not hesitation in putting KKR into bat.

KKR are unchanged while for RCB Iqbal Abdulla comes in for Varun Aaron.

KKR: Gautam Gambhir, Robin Uthappa, Manish Pandey, Yusuf Pathan, Shakib Al Hasan, Suryakumar Yadav, Andre Russell, Piyush Chawla, Sunil Narine, Ankit Rajpoot, Morne Morkel

RCB: Chris Gayle, Virat Kohli, AB de Villiers, Shane Watson, Lokesh Rahul, Sachin Baby, Stuart Binny, Chris Jordan, S Aravind, Iqbal Abdulla, Y Chahal

Kolkata Knight Riders face Royal Challengers Bangalore in Match 48 of IPL9 in a must-win game for both sides at Eden Gardens, Kolkata on Monday.

With no team certain of a Playoff berth at this stage, every win will count.

Both teams notched resounding wins in their last outing.

KKR thrashed Rising Pune Supergiants in a rain-affected contest at the Eden Gardens, while RCB floored the Gujarat Lions by a IPL record margin of 144 runs.

KKR are among the top two teams with 14 points, having seven wins from 11 matches, while RCB are in the chasing pack with 10 points from 11 matches.

KKR hold an 9-8 edge over RCB following their five-wicket wicket win over RCB in Bengaluru earlier this season.

In matches in Kolkata, KKR have a 4-2 record against RCB.