KL Rahul Breaks Virat Kohli’s Record

Indian star batter KL Rahul has achieved a rare milestone in T20 cricket history, becoming the fastest Indian to score 8,000 runs in the format. In doing so, KL Rahul broke the record previously held by former Indian captain Virat Kohli.

The milestone was reached on Sunday evening at the Arun Jaitley Stadium in Delhi, during a crucial Indian Premier League (IPL) match between Delhi Capitals and Gujarat Titans. Representing Delhi Capitals, KL Rahul accomplished the feat in the sixth over of the innings, hitting a four and a six off Kagiso Rabada’s bowling.

Rahul reached the 8,000-run mark in just 224 T20 innings, surpassing Virat Kohli who had required 243 innings to achieve the same. This means KL Rahul accomplished the milestone 19 innings faster than Kohli.

Globally, KL Rahul now stands third on the list of fastest players to reach 8,000 T20 runs. West Indies legend Chris Gayle holds the top spot, having reached the milestone in 213 innings. He is followed by Pakistan's Babar Azam who achieved it in 218 innings. Virat Kohli is fourth with 243 innings, while Pakistan's Mohammad Rizwan occupies fifth place, having taken 244 innings.

KL Rahul’s consistent performance across various formats and leagues is reflected in his T20 career record, which includes six centuries and 69 half-centuries. Ahead of the match, Rahul needed 33 runs to reach the 8,000-run mark and successfully achieved it during the powerplay.

In a strategic move influenced by the playoff race and the significance of the match, the Delhi Capitals management promoted KL Rahul to the opening position, despite him having batted at number four in several matches this season.