Virat Kohli in action© BCCI
Virat Kohli delivered a stellar all-round performance as Royal Challengers Bengaluru secured a crucial victory over Punjab Kings in their IPL 2026 clash on Sunday in Dharamsala. Batting first, RCB posted an imposing 222/4 in 20 overs, with Venkatesh Iyer remaining unbeaten on 73 off 40 balls. Kohli provided strong support with a fluent 58 off 37 deliveries, playing a key role in building the platform for a big total. In reply, PBKS fought hard but were eventually restricted to 199/8, falling short by 23 runs. With this win, RCB became the first team to qualify for the IPL 2026 playoffs, while PBKS slumped to their sixth consecutive defeat.
Beyond his contributions with the bat, Kohli once again showcased his exceptional fielding abilities. The veteran saved crucial runs with his sharp reflexes and also took important catches, underlining his fitness and consistency in the field.
Several fans on X (formerly Twitter) even drew comparisons between Kohli’s fielding and that of New Zealand’s Glenn Phillips.
37 yo Kohli, father of two, covering half the ground like a man possessed. Greatest athlete this country has ever produced pic.twitter.com/LzhCb8XPh9
— ` (@worshipVK) May 17, 2026
If this was Glenn Phillips, the internet would’ve broken. This guy is 37?! Absolute unreal athleticism. pic.twitter.com/WbyaLn1zaQ
— OldMonkOfCricket (@OldMonkOfCric) May 17, 2026
RCB were without their regular captain Rajat Patidar, with wicketkeeper-batter Jitesh Sharma stepping in to lead the side. Following the victory, Jitesh praised the team’s all-round performance and highlighted their dominance in every department.
“I think we were all in control. In the batting and the bowling, we were in control. (on the mood in the team at the halfway stage with 222 on the board) We were not under pressure, frankly speaking. We were in control. We know what we want to do on this wicket because we batted on that and the batters had given very good feedback on what was working on that wicket,” said Jitesh during the post-match presentation.
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