The much-awaited IPL 2025 season kicked off with an electrifying opening match between Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) and Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) at Eden Gardens, Kolkata. Fans witnessed an intense battle between bat and ball, with RCB clinching a dominant victory to start their campaign on a high note.
KKR vs RCB – Match Highlights
Toss and First Innings: KKR’s Struggle
KKR won the toss and opted to bat first, hoping to set a challenging target for RCB. However, their innings got off to a shaky start as Quinton de Kock fell early. Skipper Shreyas Iyer and Venkatesh Iyer attempted to stabilize the innings, but RCB bowlers applied relentless pressure.
Sunil Narine played a crucial knock, smashing 44 runs off 26 balls, while Shreyas contributed a steady 56 off 35 balls. Despite their efforts, KKR lost wickets at regular intervals, with Mohammed Siraj and Wanindu Hasaranga troubling the batters. Krunal Pandya’s 3/29 in four overs was the turning point, restricting KKR to a total of 174/8 in 20 overs.
RCB’s Chase: Kohli and Salt Shine
RCB’s opening pair, Virat Kohli and Phil Salt, started aggressively, setting the tone for the chase. Salt played fearless cricket, smashing 56 off 31 balls, while Kohli anchored the innings with a composed 59 off 36 balls. The duo stitched a solid 95-run partnership, putting RCB in firm control.
Despite KKR’s efforts to break the partnership, Rajat Patidar (34 off 20 balls) ensured there were no hiccups. RCB comfortably chased down the target, reaching 177/3 in just 16.2 overs, securing a convincing 7-wicket victory.
Key Performances
- Krunal Pandya (RCB): 3 wickets for 29 runs, dismantling KKR’s middle order.
- Phil Salt (RCB): Explosive 56 runs in his IPL debut for RCB.
- Virat Kohli (RCB): A match-winning knock of 59*, guiding RCB to victory.
- Shreyas Iyer (KKR): A captain’s knock of 56 but lacked support from the lower order.
- Sunil Narine (KKR): Quickfire 44 runs to keep the scoreboard moving.
Turning Point of the Match
KKR was cruising at 107/1 in 10 overs, but Krunal Pandya’s twin strikes in the 12th over completely shifted the momentum in RCB’s favor. His disciplined bowling ensured KKR couldn’t capitalize on their strong start.
Notable Moments
- A pitch invader briefly halted play as he ran towards Virat Kohli, but security intervened swiftly.
- The viewership record for an IPL opener was shattered, with over 40.9 crore online viewers tuning in for the match.