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Virat Kohli becomes first Indian batter to hit 50th half-century in IPL history

RCB batter's terrific knock with skipper Faf du Plessis guided the team to a comfortable victory against Mumbai Indians

Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) batter Virat Kohli kicked off his Indian Premier League (IPL) 2023 journey with a power-packed show against Mumbai Indians on Sunday. Kohli’s scintillating half-century not only guided Bangalore to a comfortable win over the five-time IPL champions but also helped the star Indian cricketer to script a sensational feat.

Kohli, thanks to his 82 in 48 balls, became the first Indian batter to notch his 50th fifty-plus score in the history of the IPL. Overall, Delhi Capitals skipper David Warner claims the top spot on the elite list of batters with the most fifty-plus scores – 60.

Virat Kohli and RCB skipper Faf du Plessis ripped apart the Mumbai Indians bowling attack at the M Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bengaluru on April 2. The duo put up an opening stand of 148 in 14.5 overs to earn a solid start.

Kohli breached the 50-run mark in just 38 deliveries. The former India skipper walloped six boundaries and five sixes against Mumbai. Quite fittingly, Kohli scored the winning runs of the encounter – a stunning six – as Bangalore reached the target with 22 balls to spare. Apart from his 45 half centuries, Kohli has five hundreds under his belt in the IPL.

"I thought it was a phenomenal win, a homecoming after 4 years. Couldn't have asked for a better game. We bowled well for the first 17 overs but then credit to their batters, especially Tilak who batted really well. It was a very comprehensive win and we wanted to win with balls to spare as it will benefit the NRR. Phenomenal, it was a packed crowd, every seat was full when we walked in here," Virat Kohli said in the post-match presentation.

Virat Kohli’s terrific start to the 16th edition of the IPL comes just weeks after he scored a vital half-century against Australia in the third ODI. Kohli scored 54 runs off 72 balls in that contest against the Aussies.

The year 2023 has so far proved to be quite fruitful for Kohli in terms of his performance in the international circuit. Kohli succeeded in putting an end to his Test century drought earlier this year in the Border-Gavaskar Trophy against Australia.

The 34-year-old scored 186 against Australia in the fourth Test of the series in Ahmedabad. The knock came as a breather to millions of fans as Kohli managed to score a Test ton after a long gap of 1205 days.

After securing a superb start, Virat Kohli will now look to replicate a similar show in the IPL 2023 season. In his next assignment, Kohli will be in action against Kolkata Knight Riders on April 6.