RCB vs KKR: Virat Kohli Extends Lead as Hundred King! Slams 9th Hundred Against Kolkata In IPL 2026 Match

RCB vs KKR: Virat Kohli’s masterclass century against Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) helped him silence his critics in style in Match 57 of IPL 2026 at the Shaheed Veer Narayan Singh International Stadium in Raipur on May 13. Kohli led Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) to a clinical 6-wicket win and proved yet again why he is still the undisputed “King” of the tournament.

Following a couple of ducks versus LSG and MI, Kohli got back on his throne with an explosive, unbeaten 105 off 60 balls* innings. He was a perfect blend of composure and aggression in his 11 boundaries and 3 towering sixes at a strike rate of 175.00.

Chasing Down a Steep Target

RCB’s intent was clear from the very beginning when they were chasing 193. The hiccups came early when Jacob Bethell (15) was dismissed by Kartik Tyagi, but Kohli found a steady partner in Devdutt Padikkal. The duo stitched a crucial 92-run partnership which broke the back of KKR bowling attack. Padikkal’s supportive 39 off 27 balls provided Kohli the platform to anchor the innings and then accelerate in the death overs.

Kohli was immovable as KKR’s Kartik Tyagi (3/32) tried to pull things back with timely wickets. The Raipur crowd was in full cheer as he reached his 9th IPL century in the 18th over. Down to 8 runs in the last over, Jitesh Sharma hit a boundary to win with 5 balls to spare.

The “14,000” Milestone and Playoff Security

This was not a normal century. Kohli broke the record for the fastest player to 14,000 T20 runs at the crease, achieving the milestone in 409 innings, ahead of Chris Gayle (423 innings).

The win has huge ramifications for the IPL 2026 points table. RCB have now officially qualified for the playoffs, climbing to the top of the table with 16 points and a healthy Net Run Rate of +1.053.

KKR’s Uphill Battle

Earlier, KKR posted a competitive 192/4 in 20 overs with a brilliant 71 off 46 by Angkrish Raghuvanshi and a late cameo by Rinku Singh (49)*. Their bowling, however, proved to be insufficient against a resurgent Kohli. KKR remain at 9 points in 8th position with this loss and their climb to the top four seems almost impossible. For RCB it was the night of Kohli, whose redemption arc has now set up an exciting chase for the championship