Kohli’s Century Takes RCB Back to Top After Win Over KKR

Royal Challengers Bengaluru returned to the top of the IPL 2026 points table with a thrilling six-wicket victory over Kolkata Knight Riders in Raipur on May 14. Chasing 193 runs, RCB completed the target in 19.1 overs with Virat Kohli delivering a stunning unbeaten century.

The match at the Shaheed Veer Narayan Singh International Stadium saw Kohli bounce back strongly after recent low scores. The senior batter looked confident from the beginning and controlled the chase brilliantly. During the innings, he also crossed the milestone of 14,000 T20 runs.

Kohli and Padikkal Dominate the Chase

RCB got off to a solid start before Devdutt Padikkal joined Kohli for a crucial partnership. The pair added 92 runs and completely shifted the momentum towards Bengaluru.

Padikkal played an aggressive supporting role, while Kohli handled the pressure with his trademark calmness. KKR suffered in the field after dropping Kohli early in the innings, and the missed chance proved costly later.

Kohli reached his half-century in just 32 balls and later converted it into his ninth IPL century. Even after wickets fell at the other end, he remained till the finish and ensured RCB secured an important win.

KKR’s Competitive Total Goes in Vain

Earlier, Kolkata Knight Riders posted 192/4 after strong knocks from Angkrish Raghuvanshi and Rinku Singh. Raghuvanshi remained unbeaten on 71, while Rinku scored a quick 49 to push the total close to 200.

KKR looked set for a bigger score, but disciplined bowling from Bhuvneshwar Kumar and the RCB attack restricted the flow of runs in the final overs.

Despite posting a challenging total, KKR could not stop the Kohli-led chase. The defeat has increased pressure on Kolkata in the playoff race, while RCB strengthened their position with another important victory in IPL 2026.