Virat Kohli started IPL 2024 with a fluent 77 against Punjab Kings. This competition is crucial for Kohli as the T20 World Cup is around the corner and he wants to consolidate his place in the Indian T20 team. Here we take a look at his five best IPL innings.
Kohli has played just two Twenty20 internationals since India’s semi-final defeat at the 2022 T20 World Cup, both against Afghanistan in January this year. While his ability to score runs is unquestionable, as evidenced by his record as the tournament’s all-time top scorer (1,141 runs at an average of 81.5), his strike rate of 131.3 has been criticized. According to reports, he was encouraged to take a more aggressive approach to secure his place in the team.
Kohli seems determined to silence his opponents before taking on Punjab. Opening in a chase of 177, he got an early boost when Jonny Bairstow lost a big outside edge in the slips on Sam Curran’s opener. After that, Kohli scored 33 runs in his first 15 deliveries, which was his highest score in the first 15 balls in a T20 innings. But with wickets falling at the other end, keeping your wicket was more important than being aggressive. He finished with a 49-ball 77, including 11 fours and two sixes, and played an important role in RCB’s four-wicket victory.
Virat Kohli made history as the first Indian and only the third player in the world, after Chris Gayle and David Warner, to score a fifty in his remarkable 100th T20 innings. Just like the game of cricket, Kohli’s unpredictability in improving his game at the right time is what led him to glory in his career. In the online gaming world, most players seek similar glory and end up seeking the best betting promo codes in india which helps them gain that initial advantage over others. After Kohli’s excellent start to the season, let’s look at his five best IPL innings:
1. 113 off 50 against Kings XI Punjab, 2016
In 2016, during a match against Kolkata Knight Riders, Kohli suffered a split strap injury which required nine stitches on his left hand. He returned to lead RCB against Punjab 48 hours after this setback. Due to the weather, the match was shortened, with 15 overs for each team. Challenged against all odds, Kohli produced a spectacular batting performance, scoring a century in just 47 balls, his fourth century of the season and the fastest in the league. As soon as he reached his landmark, he gestured towards the stitches. RCB scored a stunning 211-3 in total.
2. 108* out of 58 against Rising Pune Supergiants, 2016
Playing at the top of his game, Kohli easily beat Rising Pune Supergiants’ 192-run stand. He hit four sixes and a four in a superb attack against RP Singh and Adam Zampa with 39 needed from the last three overs. After this attack, RCB needed only four runs in the last over. With three balls remaining, Kohli led RCB to a seven-wicket victory while remaining unbeaten.
3. 99 out of 58 against Delhi Daredevils, 2013
In his first IPL captaincy, Virat Kohli showed his batting ability against Delhi Daredevils. RCB were 106-3 after 16 overs, with Kohli batting at 47 off 43 deliveries. Before getting run out on the last ball of the innings, Kohli used a remarkable acceleration performance to fuel his team’s innings with 99 runs off 58 balls, helping RCB reach 183 in their innings. Notably, Kohli’s strong attack in the 18th and 20th overs against Umesh Yadav resulted in 24 and 23 runs, respectively.
4. 109 off 55 against Gujarat Lions, 2016
Adding to the list is another stellar innings from Kohli’s incredible 2016 season, in which he scored a career-high 973 runs. In partnership with AB de Villiers, Kohli took advantage of the opposition’s misery to establish a strong partnership of 229 runs, the biggest partnership in T20 cricket at present. Kohli was a supporting player for most of the partnership, but De Villiers stole the show with his unbeaten 129 from 52 balls. However, Kohli destroyed the opposition attack in the last three overs, scoring 57 runs off 14 deliveries to register his third century of the season.
This brilliant performance propelled RCB to a dominant total of 248 runs. Since RCB would have been out of the race in the event of a defeat, the result was crucial. They not only maintained their playoff position, but also achieved the best net points rate of the season with an important 144-point victory.
5. 100 off 58 against Kolkata Knight Riders, 2019
A typical Kohli innings starts slowly before exploding into an impressive display of batting finery. After having timing issues early on, Kohli hit 50 off 40 balls, a speed considered dangerous in today’s T20 cricket. But he suddenly changed his game, smashing his second fifty in just 17 balls. It was his first century since 2016 and his sixth in IPL. This revived Kohli’s batting, especially after a declining form.
