TATA IPL 20205 Match 1: Kohli leads Bengaluru to opening win over Kolkata

Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) started the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2025 on a high as they beat defending champion Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) by seven wickets on Saturday at Eden Gardens in Kolkata in the opening game.

Match Summary

Kolkata Knight Riders vs Royal Challengers Bengaluru, Match 1

Kolkata Knight Riders 174/8 (20 ov)

Royal Challengers Bengaluru 177/3 (16.2 ov)

Result - Royal Challengers Bengaluru won by 7 wickets

SCORECARD

Match Analysis

 Asked to bat, Kolkata managed 174 for eight, in response, Bengaluru chased the target with 22 balls to spare.

Kolkata had the worst possible start to their innings as Quinton de Kock was back in the hut in the first over. But, after that, skipper Ajinkya Rahane (56:31b, 6x4, 4x6) and Sunil Narine (44:26b, 5x4, 3x6) led the rescue charge and played brilliantly. While the captain was off to a rollicking start, Narine took some time to get going but ensured he made a big impact.

The Rahane-Narine duo added 103 runs for the second wicket to put Kolkata in the driver's seat. But it was Krunal Pandya who brought Bengaluru back into the game with two quick wickets. The visitors kept chipping in with wickets at regular intervals, but Angkrish Raghuvanshi (30:22b, 2x4, 1x6) came up with a decent effort as Kolkata posted a total of 174 for eight. For Bengaluru, Pandya bagged three wickets while Josh Hazlewood also picked two scalps.

Bengaluru were off to a flying start with the bat in the chase. Phil Salt (56:31b, 9x4, 2x6) and Virat Kohli (59 n.o.: 36b, 4x4, 3x6) came out all guns blazing and slammed 95 runs for the opening stand. Devdutt Padikkal, who walked out at number three, didn't have a great outing. Kohli carried his bat through while captain Rajat Patidar (34:16b, 5x4, 1x6) also played a brilliant hand as Bengaluru chased the target with seven wickets in hand.

Fifty No. 5??6?? for the King in IPL! ??

Take us to the finish line Virat. ??#PlayBold #????RCB #IPL2025 #KKRvRCB pic.twitter.com/VRY6JwXHyp

— Royal Challengers Bengaluru (@RCBTweets) March 22, 2025

Match Stats

Kolkata Knight Riders Fall of wickets: 1-4 (Quinton de Kock - 0.5 ov), 2-107 (Sunil Narine - 9.6 ov), 3-109 (Ajinkya Rahane - 10.3 ov), 4-125 (Venkatesh Iyer - 12.1 ov), 5-145 (Rinku Singh - 14.6 ov), 6-150 (Andre Russell - 15.4 ov), 7-168 (Angkrish Raghuvanshi - 18.5 ov), 8-173 (Harshit Rana - 19.5 ov)

Royal Challengers Bengaluru Fall of wickets: 1-95 (Phil Salt - 8.3 ov), 2-118 (Devdutt Padikkal - 11.4 ov), 3-162 (Rajat Patidar - 15.3 ov)

Playing XI

Kolkata Knight Riders  

• Nikhil Dhingra(WK)
• Amandeep Singh
• Anupkumar Shrivastav(C)
• Samad Us-Atta
• Jeewan Giri
• Ashok Kumar Banger
• Surya Partap
• Nilesh Suryawanshi
• Jaswant Singh
• Rutulbhai Chaudhari
• Gurjant Singh

Royal Challengers Bengaluru  

• Rupan Das(WK)
• Asif Ataur(C)
• Md Omar Faruk
• Foyez Uddin
• Mohammad Rasel
• Tushar Shah
• Azm Jhonny
• Shuvra Biswas
• Mahmudul Khan
• Jibon Naidu
• Ruhan Khan

Match Details:

Date: Saturday, March 22, 2025 14:00

Venue: Eden Gardens, Kolkata

Toss: Royal Challengers Bengaluru elected to bowl

Officials Umpires: Abhijeet Bengeri (India) Vinod Seshan (India) Jayaraman Madanagopal (India TV)

Match Referee: Prakash Bhatt (India)

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