Virat Kohli surpasses Pakistan batter to become Asia’s top T20 run-scorer

Virat Kohli (ANI Photo)

NEW DELHi: Virat Kohli added another landmark to his glittering career, surpassing Pakistan’s Shoaib Malik to become the Asian batter with the most runs in T20 cricket during the IPL 2026 opener between Royal Challengers Bengaluru and Sunrisers Hyderabad at the M. Chinnaswamy Stadium on Saturday.Go Beyond The Boundary with our YouTube channel. SUBSCRIBE NOW! Opening the innings in a 202-run chase, Kohli reached the milestone in style, going past Malik’s tally of 13,571 runs with a single in the eighth over. The Indian star achieved the feat in just his 415th T20 match, compared to Malik’s 557 games across a two-decade career.

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The latest milestone places Kohli (13,612) sixth on the all-time list of T20 run-scorers, led by Chris Gayle (14,562), followed by Kieron Pollard (14,482), Alex Hales (14,449), David Warner (14,063) and Jos Buttler (13,845).

Most Runs in T20 Cricket

PlayerMRunsHSAve.SR100s50sChris Gayle46314562175*36.22144.752288Kieron Pollard7351448210431.62150.96167Alex Hales52814449119*29.91144.51792David Warner43314063135*37.10140.6810115Jos Buttler4931384512434.96146.16898Virat Kohli41513612122*42.14134.859106Shoaib Malik5571357195*35.99127.24083

Landmark achieved amid fluent knock Kohli’s record came in the midst of another composed innings. He was unbeaten on 69 off 38 balls, guiding RCB to a dominant six-wicket win. His knock, laced with five fours and five sixes, underlined his enduring class at the top of the order. Speaking after the match, Kohli credited his recent rhythm and careful workload management. “Whenever I come back to play, it’s 120%. I’m not coming back underprepared… the extra rest helps me mentally freshen up,” he said. Reflecting on his long career, he added, “There was always a risk of getting burnt out rather than being undercooked… these breaks help me stay fresh and excited.”Praise for Padikkal, focus on team success Kohli also heaped praise on Devdutt Padikkal, whose explosive 61 off 26 balls set up the chase. “Outstanding knock… he completely took the game away from the opposition,” Kohli said, revealing he encouraged the left-hander to keep attacking. Beyond personal milestones, Kohli emphasised his commitment to the team. “You don’t want to just hold on to a spot; you want to keep performing and contributing to the team’s cause,” he noted. With records continuing to tumble and form firmly on his side, Kohli’s latest achievement not only cements his legacy but also signals that he remains a dominant force in T20 cricket.

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