Kohli crowned IPL's highest ever scorer

New Delhi - Virat Kohli smashed an unprecedented fourth century of the Indian Premier League (IPL) season - despite nursing a finger injury - to become the tournament's highest ever run-scorer.

Kohli, who batted with nine stitches after splitting the webbing in his left hand in the previous game, bludgeoned 113 runs off 50 balls to reach 4 002 runs in the Twenty20 competition.

Kohli surpassed Indian batsman Suresh Raina's record of 3 985 runs as he led the Royal Challengers Bangalore to another crushing win against Kings XI Punjab on Wednesday.

The India captain put together a 147-run opening partnership with powerful Jamaican Chris Gayle (73).

Bangalore piled up 211 for three in the game, which was cut to 15 overs a side because of rain.

"When all that was happening out there, I thought surely I can't get a hundred in 15 overs. I wasn't believing that it was happening," said Kohli.

The in-form 27-year-old this week also became the highest run-getter in a single season, and he now stands at 865 runs in 13 games.

Kohli is the first batsman to hit four tons in a single T20 season, which, along with five half-centuries, has taken his average to 86.50 in this year's competition.

Kohli and team-mate AB de Villiers also shared a record 229-run second-wicket stand last week, the highest partnership in the history of T20 cricket.