New Delhi: Virat Kohli Adding yet another milestone to his illustrious career, he overtook Pakistan’s Shoaib Malik to become the Asian batsman with the most runs in T20 cricket during the IPL 2026 opener between Royal Challengers Bangalore and Sunrisers Hyderabad at the M Stadium. Chinnaswamy Stadium on Saturday.Push boundaries with our YouTube channel. Subscribe now!In the opening chase of 202 runs, Kohli reached a milestone in style, surpassing Malik’s 13,571-run score with a single in the eighth over. The India star achieved the feat in just his 415th T20 match, while Malik played 557 matches in his 20-year career.The latest milestone moves Kohli (13,612) to sixth place on the all-time list of T20 run-scorers, ahead of Chris Gayle (14,562), followed by Kieron Pollard (14,482), Alex Hales (14,449), David Warner (14,063) and If the housekeeper (13,845).
Most runs in T20 cricket
| player | medium size | running | HS | Avenue. | SR | 100 seconds | Over 50 years old |
| Chris Gayle | Chapter 463 | 14562 | 175* | 36.22 | 144.75 | twenty two | 88 |
| Kieron Pollard | Chapter 735 | 14482 | 104 | 31.62 | 150.96 | 1 | 67 |
| Alex Hales | 528 | 14449 | 119* | 29.91 | 144.51 | 7 | 92 |
| David Warner | Chapter 433 | 14063 | 135* | 37.10 | 140.68 | 10 | 115 |
| If the housekeeper | Chapter 493 | 13845 | 124 | 34.96 | 146.16 | 8 | 98 |
| Virat Kohli | Chapter 415 | 13612 | 122* | 42.14 | 134.85 | 9 | 106 |
| Shoaib Malik | Chapter 557 | 13571 | 95* | 35.99 | 127.24 | 0 | 83 |
Milestone achievement achieved with smooth percussionKohli’s record came in another uneventful innings. He remained unbeaten on 69 off 38 balls to lead RCB to a crushing victory by six wickets. His knock was peppered with five fours and five sixes, underlining his position at the top of the order.Speaking after the match, Kohli praised his recent pace and careful workload management. “Whenever I come back to play, I’m at 120 percent. I don’t come back underprepared… the extra rest helps refresh me,” he said.Looking back on his long career, he added, “There’s always a risk of burnout, rather than a risk of being undercooked… These breaks helped me stay energized and excited.”Kudos to Padikkal, focus on team successKohli also had high praise for Devdutt Padikkal, whose explosive 61 off 26 balls laid the foundation of the chase. “Excellent batting…he completely took the game away from the opponent,” Kohli said, revealing that he encouraged the southpaw to keep attacking.Apart from personal milestones, Kohli also highlighted his commitment to the team. “You don’t want to just hold on to a position; you want to continue to perform and contribute to the team’s cause,” he noted.As records continue to be broken, Kohli’s latest achievement not only cements his legacy but also shows that he remains a dominant force in T20 cricket.
