Kolkata, India – On March 22, 2025, Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) opened their IPL season with a resounding victory over Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR), winning by seven wickets at Eden Gardens. Phil Salt set the tone with a fiery knock, scoring 56 off 31 balls, while Virat Kohli supported him with an unbeaten 59 off 36 balls.
RCB won the toss and opted to bowl first, a decision that paid off as they contained KKR to 174 runs. KKR initially looked solid, with Ajinkya Rahane scoring a brisk 56 off 31 balls and Sunil Narine contributing 44 off 26, forming a crucial 103-run partnership. However, their innings faltered as they lost quick wickets towards the end.
Krunal Pandya, playing for RCB, emerged as the key bowler, taking three wickets for 29 runs in his four overs. He was instrumental in shifting the momentum of the game. “We did really well today as a team,” Krunal said after being named Player of the Match. “You have to go with the flow, how cricket is evolving, right? So that was one of the reasons, where I wanted to bowl quick, I wanted to give the batters less time.”
On the other hand, Josh Hazlewood also had an impressive return, taking two wickets for just 22 runs and making crucial breakthroughs at the start of KKR’s innings. RCB’s bowling attack kept KKR in check, especially during the latter half of their innings, limiting them to just 67 runs in the last ten overs.
Chasing 175, RCB began aggressively with Salt and Kohli dominating the KKR bowlers. They posted an impressive 80 runs without loss in the Powerplay, showcasing their batting depth and intent. Rajat Patidar added valuable runs with a swift 34 off just 16 balls, further consolidating RCB’s position in the match.
“Batting second at Eden Gardens makes a bit of difference as you have to hit your shots through the line,” Salt mentioned, reflecting on his performance. Despite KKR’s initial success with the bat, their inability to capitalize in the middle overs proved detrimental as RCB steadily chased down the target.
KKR’s captain, Ajinkya Rahane, expressed disappointment after the match, stating, “We were going really well till the 13th over, but losing 2-3 quick wickets shifted the momentum. It is still early days in the tournament, and we need to learn from this.”
The match illustrates the ongoing evolution of T20 cricket, showing how crucial adaptability and strategy are in this fast-paced format. RCB’s performance sets a positive tone for their campaign this season, while KKR seeks to regroup and bounce back stronger in their upcoming matches.
