Kohli sets all-time IPL runs record

NEW DELHI • Despite nursing a finger injury, Virat Kohli still smashed an unprecedented fourth century of the season to become the Indian Premier League's all-time top run-scorer.

Kohli, who batted with nine stitches after splitting the webbing in his left hand in the previous game, bludgeoned 113 runs off 50 balls to reach 4,002 runs in the Twenty20 competition.

He surpassed Indian batsman Suresh Raina's record of 3,985 runs, as he led the Royal Challengers Bangalore to another crushing win against Kings XI Punjab on Wednesday.

The India captain put together a 147-run opening partnership with Jamaican Chris Gayle (73). Bangalore piled up 211 for three in the game, which was cut to 15 overs a side because of rain.

"I thought surely I can't get a hundred in 15 overs," he said. "I wasn't believing that it was happening."

Earlier this week, the in-form 27-year-old also became the highest run-getter in a single season, and he currently stands at 865 runs in 13 games.

He is the first batsman to hit four tons in a single T20 season, which, along with five half-centuries, have taken his average to 86.50 in this year's competition.

He and team-mate AB de Villiers also shared a record 229-run second-wicket stand last week, the highest partnership in the history of T20 cricket.

AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE

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A version of this article appeared in the print edition of The Straits Times on May 20, 2016, with the headline Kohli sets all-time IPL runs record. Subscribe