Virat Kohli completes 7,000 IPL runs, becomes first player to do so

The veteran batter did so during his side's IPL 2023 match against Delhi Capitals at the Arun Jaitley Stadium in Delhi.

Virat gave some solid entertainment to those who turned up to watch him in the stadium, which also happens to be his home stadium in domestic cricket. He scored 55 off 46 balls, consisting of five fours. His runs came at a strike rate of 119.57.

In 233 matches and 225 innings, Virat has scored 7,043 runs at an average of 36.87. He has five centuries and 49 half-centuries to his name, with the best score of 113. He is the highest run-scorer in the history of the league.

The 2016 season was when Virat was at his merciless best. In 16 matches that season, he scored 973 runs at an average of 81.08. He scored four centuries and seven fifties that season, with a strike rate of 152.03. His best score was 113.

The top five run-scorers in IPL history are: Virat (7.043), Shikhar Dhawan (6,536 runs), Australian opener David Warner (6,189 runs), Indian skipper Rohit Sharma (6,063 runs) and Suresh Raina (5,528 runs).

In the ongoing IPL season, Virat has scored 419 runs at an average of 46.55 in 10 matches. His runs have come at a strike rate of 135.16. His best score this year is 82*. He has scored six half-centuries in IPL 2023.

Coming to the match, RCB won the toss and elected to bat first.

In the game against DC at the Arun Jaitley Stadium, RCB would be keen to get two points and feature in the Top 4 spot with 12 points, their position would be dependent on their net run rate. While Delhi Capitals are in need of a victory to keep themselves in the race for the IPL playoffs.

DC is in the final position with three wins and six losses, a total of six points. RCB is in the fifth position with five wins and four losses, with a total of 10 points. Both sides had won their previous matches against Lucknow Super Giants, Gujarat Titans respectively.

RCB (Playing XI): Virat Kohli, Faf du Plessis(c), Anuj Rawat, Glenn Maxwell, Mahipal Lomror, Dinesh Karthik(w), Kedar Jadhav, Wanindu Hasaranga, Karn Sharma, Mohammed Siraj, Josh Hazlewood.

DC (Playing XI): David Warner(c), Philip Salt(w), Mitchell Marsh, Rilee Rossouw, Manish Pandey, Aman Hakim Khan, Axar Patel, Kuldeep Yadav, Mukesh Kumar, Ishant Sharma, Khaleel Ahmed. (ANI)