Cometh the hour, cometh the man! One word that has always been associated with Virat Kohli is hunger. No matter how many records he breaks or milestones he achieves, he continues to play with the passion and intensity of a youngster eager to prove himself.
Kohli already had more than 65 IPL half-centuries to his name, but he chose the biggest stage of all—the IPL 2026final—to register the fastest fifty of his IPL career.
Chasing 156 for victory, Royal Challengers Bengaluru suffered a brief wobble when Rashid Khan struck twice in the ninth over, dismissing Rajat Patidar and Krunal Pandya in quick succession. However, Kohli once again rose to the occasion, producing a masterclass under pressure. The former RCB captain brought up a blistering half-century and guided his side to 161/5 in just 18 overs, putting Bengaluru firmly on course for another IPL title.
The milestone was even more special because it added another record to Kohli's legendary IPL career. Reaching his fifty in just 25 balls, the 38-year-old registered the fastest half-century of his IPL career and joined an exclusive list featuring Suresh Raina, Venkatesh Iyer, David Warner, Rohit Sharma, and Chris Gayle—players who have scored some of the quickest fifties in IPL finals. Delivering such a remarkable knock on the grandest stage once again highlighted why Kohli remains one of the greatest players in the history of the tournament.
Watch Kohli's special knock here:
Kohli smashes 50 off just 25 balls in the IPL 2026 final — Joining Rohit Sharma and Chris Gayle in elite company
It was clear from Gujarat's batting that Royal Challengers Bengaluruhad a strong chance of winning the IPL 2026 final. The Titans managed only 155 runs despite playing at their home ground, with their batters failing to build significant partnerships. While cricket is known for its unpredictability and teams have defended even lower totals in IPL finals, Gujarat's total never looked completely safe.
RCB made their intentions clear from the start of the chase. While many expected Venkatesh Iyer to take the aggressive route, it was Virat Kohli who seized control of the innings. The former RCB captain attacked the Gujarat bowlers from the outset, taking on Kagiso Rabada and Mohammed Siraj and ensuring that Bengaluru stayed ahead of the required run rate.
Kohli's innings became even more special when he reached his half-century in just 25 balls, the fastest fifty of his IPL career. The milestone placed him alongside Rohit Sharma and Chris Gayle in an exclusive IPL club of players with some of the fastest fifties in IPL finals. Despite dealing with cramps and the pressure of losing wickets at the other end, Kohli remained composed and guided RCB closer to victory with another memorable knock on the biggest stage.
Raina, Warner, Iyer, Rohit, Gayle — and now Kohli: The full list of fastest fifties in IPL Final History
Raina, Warner, Iyer, Rohit, Gayle — and now Virat Kohli. The RCB superstar etched his name into the IPL record books during the 2026 final against the Gujarat Titans by bringing up his half-century in just 25 balls. It was the fastest fifty of the Indiansuperstar's IPL career and yet another example of him delivering on the biggest stage when his team needed him most.
Fastest 50s in IPL Final History (by balls faced)
| Balls | Player | Team | Opponent | Venue | Year |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 24 | Suresh Raina | CSK | MI | Mumbai DYP | 2010 |
| 24 | David Warner | SRH | RCB | Bengaluru | 2016 |
| 24 | Venkatesh Iyer | KKR | SRH | Chennai | 2024 |
| 25 | Rohit Sharma | MI | CSK | Kolkata | 2015 |
| 25 | Chris Gayle | RCB | SRH | Bengaluru | 2016 |
| 25 | Virat Kohli | RCB | GT | Ahmedabad | 2026 |
By reaching the milestone in just 25 deliveries, Kohli joined an elite group featuring Suresh Raina, David Warner, Venkatesh Iyer, Rohit Sharma, and Chris Gayle. The achievement added another chapter to his remarkable IPL legacy and underlined his ability to perform under pressure in title-deciding matches.
RCB crowned IPL 2026 champions again as King Kohli rules the final with his fastest-ever IPL fifty
Royal Challengers Bengaluru successfully defended their IPL title by defeating Gujarat Titans by five wickets in the IPL 2026 final at the Narendra Modi Stadium. Batting first, the Gujarat Titans struggled throughout their innings and could only manage 155/8 in 20 overs. Washington Sundar was the top scorer with a fighting half-century, while RCB's bowling attack, led by Rasikh Salam, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, and Josh Hazlewood, kept the pressure on from the very beginning.
Gujarat's innings suffered early setbacks as captain Shubman Gill was dismissed for just 10 runs by Hazlewood, while Sai Sudharsan also departed cheaply. Jos Buttler, Nishant Sindhu, Rahul Tewatia, and the middle order failed to make a major impact as wickets fell at regular intervals. Washington Sundar tried to rebuild the innings and added some valuable runs with Arshad Khan and Jason Holder, helping Gujarat reach a respectable total.
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In reply, RCB chased down the target with five wickets in hand and two overs to spare. Virat Kohli led the charge with a brilliant 75 off 42 balls, smashing nine fours and three sixes. Although Rashid Khan picked up two quick wickets to briefly raise Gujarat's hopes, Kohli's match-winning knock ensured RCB reached 161/5 in 18 overs. With the victory,Rajat Patidar became only the third captain in IPL history, after Mahendra Singh Dhoni and Rohit Sharma, to win back-to-back IPL titles.