Chennai, March 22 (IANS): Virat Kohli on Friday became the first Indian batter to reach 12,000 career runs in T20 cricket while playing for Royal Challengers Bengaluru against Chennai Super Kings in the opening match of the Indian Premier League (IPL) at the M.A Chidambaram Stadium here. Overall, Kohli is the sixth batter to score 12,000 or more runs in the shortest format of the game. Their runs include T20 Internationals as well as franchise cricket.

The list for highest scorers in T20 cricket is led by West Indies legend Chris Gayle who has scored 14,562 runs in a career spanning from 2005-2022 and covering various leagues worldwide.

Pakistan's Shoaib Malik is second with 13,360 with another West Indies batter Kieron Pollard following behind at third with 12,900 runs. England's Alex Hales is in fourth with 12,3190 runs with David Warner, who will be turning out for Delhi Capitals in his first match of IPL 2024 on Saturday, at fifth with 12, 065 runs.

Kohli scored 21 off 20 deliveries on Friday and thus now has 12,015 runs overall.

Kohli started slowly and with skipper Faf du Plessis took the score to 41 before RCB lost their first wicket. Faf, who blasted eight boundaries in his 23-ball 35, was superbly taken by Rachin Ravindra off Mustafizur Rahman.

Kohli's first attempt to hit a boundary was off his 14th ball, in the tenth over. He picked up a half-tracker from mystery spinner Maheesh Theekshana and walloped a six over midwicket. But RCB lost Rajat Patidar, Glenn Maxwell and Kohli got out in quick succession as RCB slumped to 77/4 in the 12th over.