The IPL 2025 season began with a thrilling encounter between defending champions Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) and Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) at Eden Gardens. KKR, led by Ajinkya Rahane, started their innings with hope but faced early setbacks. Quinton de Kock was dismissed for just 4 runs in the first over, caught behind off Josh Hazlewood. However, Sunil Narine and Rahane stabilized the innings with a brilliant partnership. Rahane was in top form, scoring 56 off 31 balls, including six boundaries and four sixes. Narine supported him well with a quick 44 off 26 balls, maintaining a strike rate of 169.23.

KKR reached 107/2 by the halfway mark, but their momentum slowed after Rahane’s dismissal in the 11th over. Krunal Pandya’s clever bowling dismantled the middle order, taking three key wickets, including Venkatesh Iyer and Rinku Singh. Angkrish Raghuvanshi contributed a useful 30 off 22 balls, but the lower order struggled to accelerate. Andre Russell and Harshit Rana fell cheaply, leaving KKR at 174/8 after 20 overs. Hazlewood (2/22) and Pandya (3/29) were the standout bowlers for RCB.

Virat Kohli and Phil Salt’s explosive opening partnership sets the tone

RCB’s chase began with fireworks as Phil Salt and Virat Kohli opened the innings aggressively. The duo took full advantage of Eden Gardens’ batting-friendly conditions, racing to 50 runs in just 22 balls. Salt was particularly dominant, smashing boundaries at will and reaching his half-century off just 25 deliveries. His knock of 56 off 31 balls included nine fours and two sixes, setting the stage for RCB’s chase.

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Kohli played the perfect supporting role, rotating the strike and finding gaps with ease. By the end of the powerplay, RCB had reached an impressive 80/0, putting KKR’s bowlers under immense pressure. Salt was eventually dismissed by Varun Chakravarthy in the ninth over, but his contribution had already laid a solid foundation for the chase.

Kohli’s masterclass: Unbeaten and unstoppable

After Salt’s dismissal, Kohli took charge of the innings. The former Indian captain showcased his trademark consistency and composure, anchoring the chase with an unbeaten 59 off 36 balls. Kohli’s innings was a mix of elegance and power, featuring four boundaries and three sixes at a strike rate of 163.88.

Rajat Patidar joined Kohli and played a blistering cameo, scoring 34 off 16 balls before falling to Vaibhav Arora. By then, RCB were well on their way to victory. Liam Livingstone added the finishing touches with an explosive unbeaten 15 off five balls, sealing the win in style.

A dominant victory for RCB

RCB chased down KKR’s target of 175 with ease, finishing at 177/3 in just 16.2 overs—a commanding seven-wicket victory with 22 balls to spare. The opening partnership between Salt and Kohli proved crucial, while Kohli’s unbeaten knock reinforced his reputation as one of T20 cricket’s greatest finishers.

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KKR’s bowlers struggled to contain RCB’s batters on a flat pitch. Narine (1/27) was economical, but he lacked support from his teammates as Vaibhav and Spencer Johnson conceded runs heavily.

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