IPL 2024 Virat Kohli in action. Photo: Sportzpics
Virat Kohli has been criticized for playing too slowly, especially after scoring the slowest ever hundred in the Indian Premier League during his unbeaten 113 off 72 balls. However, numbers tell a completely different story.
Best season of powerplay for Kohli
Kohli has had the best season in IPL when it comes to scoring in the powerplay. The King, as he is known to the fans, has scored 343 runs in just 212 balls in the first six overs of all fourteen matches he has played in the competition so far. Only thanks to his strike rate of 162 and an average of 85.8 in the powerplay in IPL 2024, RCB has managed to register six wins in a row.
| Virat Kohli’s top 5 powerplays in IPL | |||||
| Season | Innings | Running | Balls | Average | Strifie rate |
| IPL 2024 | 14 | 343 | 212 | 85.8 | 162 |
| IPL 2018 | 12 | 247 | 177 | 61.75 | 140 |
| IPL 2019 | 14 | 239 | 172 | 39.83 | 139 |
| IPL 2023 | 14 | 301 | 220 | 75.25 | 137 |
| IPL 2021 | 15 | 241 | 185 | 40.16 | 130 |
Kohli upped the ante as the team needed him to shoot
Talking about the last six matches that have put RCB in the play-offs, Kohli was a success in those matches as the 35-year-old made a 180-degree turn when it came to hitting the ball.
In the first eight matches, Kohli hit 132 and averaged 62; he surprised the opposition with 187 and averaged 109 in the next six. With possibly three matches to go, it could be ‘Ee Saala Cup Namdhu’ if Kohli continues in the same vein for RCB.
| Virat Kohli in Powerplay – IPL 2024 | |||||
| Matches | Running | Balls | Dismissed | Average | Strifie rate |
| First 6 games | 124 | 95 | 2 | 62 | 131 |
| Last 8 matches | 219 | 117 | 2 | 109.5 | 187 |
First print: May 21, 2024 | 8:54 PM IST