#OnThisDay in 2016 | When Virat Kohli defied pain to carve out a classic

You aren't even allowed to think about scoring a hundred in a 15-over game. But, leave that aside, you are not even allowed to hold a cricket bat when your fingers are badly stitched up.

But, then, when you are so determined to contribute to your side, even the most excruciating pain doesn't bog you down.

The legendary Virat Kohli showcased that to the hilt on this day in 2016 when he defied pain, blood, and stitches to carve out a match-winning masterclass for the Royal Challengers Bangalore.

Back in 2016, Virat was transcending the limits as to what one can achieve on a cricket field with a bat in his hand.

He had already spearheaded India in the T20 World Cup, finishing as the leading run-scorer for the second consecutive edition.

He carried that form in the IPL and had already smashed three hundreds leading into a must-win game against the Punjab Kings at the Chinnaswamy.

It was a game that RCB had to win to entertain chances of making it to the playoffs.

However, the rain gods had other ideas. The game had to be delayed for over 2 hours and when it did start, Virat not only had to contend with the fact that it was just a 15-over game, but also the fact that he had to bat with as many as nine stitches on his left hand.

But, as I mentioned earlier, Kohli was a guy possessed that year. He was in that sort of a phase where nothing could stop him from asserting his dominance on the field.

And, assert he did, as the then 27-year-old laid into the Punjab Kings' attack, smashing them for a 50-ball 113 with the help of 12 fours and as many as 8 sixes.

This was Kohli's fourth hundred of the season and also the fastest hundred in T20 cricket to date.

The champion batsman could have been run-out when he was on 10 had Axar Patel nailed a direct hit from backward point.

As it turned out, that was the only chance that Kohli gave to the opposition that evening as he pulled, drove, cut, jabbed wide yorker past point, lofted inside-out cover-drives, whiplash the likes of Sandeep Sharma between long-on and deep midwicket in what was a sustained display of an artist being at the height of his power.

Kohli got full support from 'Universe Boss' Chris Gayle at the other end. The West Indian swashbuckler was at his typical best, nailing a 32-ball 73 with the help of 8 sixes and 4 fours.

The duo added 147 runs for the 1st wicket in 11 overs. Virat got to his hundred in just 47 deliveries when he whipped Sharma on the leg-side for a four.

He celebrated that by constantly pointing at the stitches in his left hand.

His pain and endurance paid off big time as RCB comfortably defended their total of 211 to claim an 82-run win to move to the 2nd spot in the points table.

At the presentation ceremony, Kohli was asked about his injury, and the right-hander summed up his mindset really well when he said that he doesn't mind getting more stitches on his fingers for the sake of his team.

Kohli eventually finished with 973 runs and four hundreds, but the title still continued to elude him as SRH trumped RCB in the summit clash to claim glory.