In another landmark moment in his glittering career, Royal Challengers Bengaluru batter Virat Kohli created a new world record during the IPL 2026 clash against Sunrisers Hyderabad on Friday.
The former RCB captain became the player involved in the highest number of 50-plus partnerships in men’s T20 cricket history. Kohli achieved the feat during his opening stand with Venkatesh Iyer against SRH.
The partnership added 60 runs for the opening wicket, taking Kohli’s tally to 211 fifty-plus stands in T20 cricket. In doing so, he overtook former England batter Alex Hales, who previously held the record with 210 such partnerships.
Players With Most 50-Plus Partnerships In Men’s T20 Cricket
- Virat Kohli – 211*
- Alex Hales – 210
- David Warner – 200
- Babar Azam – 196
- Chris Gayle – 191
Kohli’s latest milestone further cements his reputation as one of the most consistent batters in T20 history. Across franchise and international cricket, the Indian superstar has built a legacy around stability at the top of the order and match-winning partnerships.
Sunrisers Hyderabad Post Mammoth 255 Against RCB
Earlier in the match, Ishan Kishan played a sensational unbeaten knock of 79 runs to guide Sunrisers Hyderabad to a massive total of 255/4 against Royal Challengers Bengaluru.
SRH also received strong contributions from Abhishek Sharma, who smashed 56, and Heinrich Klaasen, who hammered 51 runs in quick time.
Klaasen and Kishan stitched together a crucial 113-run partnership for the third wicket, completely shifting momentum in Hyderabad’s favour.
For RCB, pacer Rasikh Salam emerged as the most successful bowler with figures of 2/52.
Heinrich Klaasen Explains SRH’s Aggressive Batting Approach
Speaking during the innings break, Heinrich Klaasen admitted that he initially struggled to find rhythm before accelerating aggressively.
“Yeah, it was a lovely innings. I struggled in the first couple of balls, but that one over got me back on track,” Klaasen said.
The South African batter joked about his slow start before launching an aggressive counterattack.
“5 from 12 is a little bit under pressure in this format,” he laughed. “The team was going at 11-12 runs an over, so I had to catch up very quickly. It was either get out or catch up with the rate.”
Klaasen also credited his partnership with Ishan Kishan for helping SRH dominate the middle overs.
“It helps a lot when your partner is in full flow. We’ve done that really well this season in the middle order,” he added.
The wicketkeeper-batter further suggested that the pitch could slow down during the chase, potentially making RCB’s task even more difficult.
“I would hope so,” Klaasen smiled when asked whether the pitch might become slower later in the game.