Raipur , 14 May (H.S.): In an exhilarating IPL 2026 encounter on Wednesday, Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) secured a resounding 6-wicket victory over Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR), propelling them to the top of the points table. The high-scoring thriller unfolded at the Shaheed Veer Narayan Singh Stadium in Raipur, captivating fans with non-stop action.

Electing to bat first after losing the toss, Kolkata Knight Riders posted 192/4 in their allotted 20 overs. Angkrish Raghuvanshi delivered a standout performance, smashing 71 runs off 46 balls, adorned with 7 fours and 3 sixes. In the death overs, Rinku Singh's aggressive cameo proved vital, remaining unbeaten on 49 off 29 balls.

Finn Allen contributed 18 runs, while captain Ajinkya Rahane added 19. Cameron Green chipped in with a useful 32. RCB's bowlers Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Josh Hazlewood, and Rasikh Salam Dar each claimed one wicket.

Chasing 193, Bengaluru raced home in 19.1 overs, finishing at 193/4. Virat Kohli emerged as the hero, crafting an unbeaten 105—his majestic century featuring 11 fours and 3 sixes.

Devdutt Padikkal supported with 39 runs, Jacob Bethell added 15, and Jitesh Sharma (8*) guided the team to victory unbeaten.

This triumph catapults RCB to the summit of the standings, bolstering their playoff confidence, while KKR absorbs a significant setback.

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Hindusthan Samachar / Jun Sarkar