In the highly anticipated Match 61 of IPL 2026 between Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) and Punjab Kings (PBKS) at Dharamshala, Virat Kohli electrified the crowd with a spectacular, lofted maximum early in the innings. Facing an overpitched delivery, Kohli elegantly extended his arms and carved the ball over the deep extra-cover boundary for a sensational six.
The sublime shot set the tone for his innings, demonstrating his intent from the very beginning of the match.He recorded this magnificent six in the first over of the match against medium-pacer Azmatullah Omarzai. Watch the video here:
Carved away for a MAXIMUM! 🚀
What a beautiful shot to get things going for #ViratKohli! 👑#TATAIPL Race to Playoffs 2026 👉 #PBKSvRCB | LIVE NOW ➡️ https://t.co/OJhb8ljCPI pic.twitter.com/1sQP5zDhiM
— Star Sports (@StarSportsIndia) May 17, 2026
Virat Kohli Becomes First Player To Register Nine 500-Run IPL Seasons
Virat Kohli once again created history in the Indian Premier League as the Royal Challengers Bengaluru batter completed 500 runs in IPL 2026 during the match against Punjab Kings at the Himachal Pradesh Cricket Association Stadium in Dharamsala on Sunday.
With this achievement, Kohli became the first batter in IPL history to record nine seasons with 500 or more runs. Former David Warner opener and KL Rahul are next on the list with seven such seasons each, while former India opener Shikhar Dhawan has done it five times.
After Kohli crossed the 500-run mark, former India all-rounder Irfan Pathan praised his consistency and strong mindset, highlighting the veteran batter’s hunger to keep performing at the top level.
Another 500 runs season for Virat Kohli in the IPL.
His Mind set is what makes him so special.
— Irfan Pathan (@IrfanPathan) May 17, 2026
Virat Kohli has once again emerged as one of Royal Challengers Bengaluru’s most reliable batters this season, consistently scoring runs at the top as the Bengaluru franchise aims for a place in the playoffs.
Earlier, the Punjab-based franchise opted to bowl first against defending champions Royal Challengers Bengaluru. The match also marked the 100th IPL game as captain for Shreyas Iyer. RCB currently lead the points table with eight wins from 12 matches, and a victory in this contest could confirm their playoff spot.
Meanwhile, Punjab Kings were aiming to snap their five-match losing streak. At the time of writing, RCB were 120/2 after 12 overs, with Virat Kohli and Devdutt Padikkal at the crease.
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