RCB top of the points table 2026, Virat Kohli century IPL 2026

The IPL 2026 season is in full swing, and what cricket fans have witnessed during this period is something hardly anyone could have expected! Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB), which chants "Ee Sala Cup Namde" every year, is currently ruling at the top of the IPL 2026 Points Table. On Wednesday, May 13, in Match 57 against KKR at the Shaheed Veer Narayan Singh International Stadium in Raipur, RCB not only achieved a thrilling victory, but King Virat Kohli also smashed a historic unbeaten century of 105 runs* that stunned the entire cricket world. This comeback after two consecutive ducks has become one of the greatest innings of his career.

If you are also a fan of RCB or explore cricket analytics, then this blog post is for you. In this entire article, we will discuss in detail how Kohli's century took RCB to the top of the points table and completely changed the playoff qualification scenarios of IPL 2026.

This season of IPL 2026 has been a rollercoaster ride for Virat Kohli. Before the match against KKR, Virat Kohli was going through a very bad phase. Kohli was out on zero (back-to-back ducks) in the last two matches against Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) and Mumbai Indians (MI). Trolls on social media started speculating about his strike rate and form.But as they say, "Form is temporary, class is permanent." Kohli silenced all critics as soon as he stepped onto the field in Raipur. Batting first, KKR posted a solid total of 192/4, thanks to a brilliant 71 from Angrish Raghuvanshi. Chasing a target of 193 runs was not easy for any team, especially in a pressure situation.

When RCB started batting, they quickly lost their opening partner, Jacob Bethell (15 runs). He was dismissed by Kartik Tyagi. At that moment, it seemed as if RCB might collapse under pressure. But at the crease stood the absolute master of chases, Virat Kohli.

Crucial Partnership

Kohli needed support from the other end, and he got it from Impact Player Devdutt Padikkal. The two shared a brilliant partnership of 92 runs. Padikkal scored 37 runs before getting out, giving RCB a solid foundation from which to chase.

Middle Overs

The pitch was a bit uneven in bounce, and KKR's spinners (Sunil Narine and Varun Chakraborty) were bowling quite tight. But Kohli played very smart cricket. He focused on singles and doubles and kept hitting the big balls out of bounds. When the target started coming closer, he shifted gears and attacked the pace bowlers.

With RCB needing 13 runs off the last 13 balls, Kohli reached his century in 58 balls. He hit 11 fours and 3 sixes in his innings, with a strike rate of 175.00. Jitesh Sharma hit the winning four in the last over to seal the match, and RCB won by 6 wickets.

Milestone Alert: Virat Kohli's New Records

With this single innings, Virat Kohli not only led his team to victory but also set several major records in world cricket. He became the first Indian cricketer to score 14,000 runs in T20 cricket (International + Domestic + IPL), achieving this milestone in just 409 innings, faster than Chris Gayle (423 innings). Furthermore, this was Kohli's 9th IPL century, the most in the tournament's history, while Jos Buttler is second with 7 centuries. Moreover, this was Kohli's third IPL century while chasing, with which he equalled Jos Buttler's record of most centuries in run-chases, and he has now become the first player in IPL history to score more than 400 runs in 12 different seasons.

In all, Virat Kohli has 10 centuries in his T20 career, maximum 9 centuries scored by him in IPL for Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) is the highest number of centuries scored by anyone in the entire IPL format. He has also made a new record for four centuries in a single IPL season in 2016. He scored the rest of his century in his highest score in T20 cricket in 2022 in the match played by India against Afghanistan in T20 International cricket.

IPL 2026 Points Table: RCB Leads, MI and LSG Eliminated

Playoff Scenarios: What's the way forward for RCB?

Now that RCB are at the top of the standings with 16 points, their playoff qualification seems almost certain. However, their ultimate goal now is to finish in the top two to earn a chance to play Qualifier 1, where even a loss provides another chance to reach the final.

Next Match: PBKS vs RCB (May 17, Dharamsala)

RCB's next match is against the Punjab Kings on May 17 at the high-altitude and murky ground in Dharamsala. The Punjab Kings are in a desperate situation after losing to the Mumbai Indians in their previous match. They must win their remaining two matches at all costs. If RCB wins this match, they will officially lock in a playoff spot with 18 points and a top-2 finish.

After losing this match, Shreyas Iyer's Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) are stuck at 8th place in the points table. They have only 9 points from 11 matches. Their dream of reaching the playoffs is now almost over, as they will now have to depend on the results of other teams and a mathematically significant NRR miracle.

Virat Kohli's batting is excellent, but Rajat Patidar's captaincy also has to be praised this season. Whereas in previous years, RCB was dependent only on Virat and AB de Villiers or Faf du Plessis, but this year, the balance of the team seems to be excellent. In the bowling department, Yash Dayal and the rest of his local bowlers are bowling disciplined in the middle overs, who even on a flat pitch against KKR restricted them to 192, which is considered a chaseable score in a stadium like Raipur. Also, the top-order is able to play freely due to the presence of finishers like Tim David and Jitesh Sharma in the middle order, as Kohli knows that even if he gets out, there are big hitters in the back to finish the match.

Virat Kohli said something very emotional and practical in his post-match interview. He said, "I enjoy challenging myself in difficult situations. It's going to finish one day, so I just want to enjoy it while it lasts." His attitude shows that he's playing without any unnecessary pressure this season.

For RCB fans, this is a moment to celebrate. The team is at the top of the points table, King Kohli is back in peak form, and he has also established dominance in the Orange Cap race. If RCB maintains this momentum, IPL 2026 could be a year etched in the pages of history.