Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) started their IPL 2025 marketing campaign with a dominant seven-wicket win over Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) at Eden Gardens. Opting to area first, RCB restricted KKR to 174/8 regardless of Ajinkya Rahane’s 56 off 31 and Sunil Narine’s 44 off 26. Krunal Pandya was the perfect bowler, selecting up 3/29, whereas Josh Hazlewood claimed 2/22.
Chasing 175, RCB acquired off to a superb begin, because of Phil Salt’s 56 off 31 balls and Virat Kohli’s unbeaten 59 off 36. Salt’s aggressive intent put stress on KKR’s bowlers, and Kohli anchored the innings. Rajat Patidar performed a stable cameo of 34 off 16, and Liam Livingstone’s fast 15 off 5 completed the chase in simply 16.2 overs.
KKR’s bowlers struggled, with solely Sunil Narine, Varun Chakravarthy, and Vaibhav Arora managing a wicket every. RCB’s medical all-round efficiency ensured a cushty victory.
Key Moments from Match 1 of IPL 2025:
1. Virat Kohli-Phil Salt opening stand
Phil Salt and Virat Kohli’s fifties guided the Bengaluru franchise to a cushty victory. Enjoying his debut recreation for RCB, Salt smashed 56 off 31 balls, whereas Kohli, in his four-hundredth T20 innings, struck 59 off 36 balls. Their partnership registered RCB’s second-highest powerplay rating (80/0). Kohli additionally grew to become the third batter to attain 1,000 IPL runs towards KKR. Moreover, their 14 boundaries within the powerplay rank third in RCB historical past.
2. Krunal Pandya’s essential spell
RCB all-rounder Krunal Pandya delivered a match-winning spell. On a batting-friendly floor, the veteran left-arm spinner picked up 3/29 in 4 overs, dismantling KKR’s center order. After a shaky first over, Krunal returned strongly following Sunil Narine’s dismissal. He eliminated a well-set Ajinkya Rahane for 56 earlier than cleansing up Venkatesh Iyer and Rinku Singh. Acquired by RCB for INR 5.75 crores within the 2025 public sale, Krunal’s efficiency justified his price ticket as he proved to be a game-changer in his new franchise’s marketing campaign opener.
3. Ajinkya Rahane-Sunil Narine stabilize KKR’s innings
Ajinkya Rahane made his debut as KKR captain on a very good notice, significantly with the bat. After Quinton de Kock’s early dismissal, Rahane took the accountability on himself, shifting gears within the fourth over by hammering Rasik Dar Salam for 16 runs. His intent gave KKR momentum, permitting Sunil Narine to dominate after a gradual begin. Struggling at 9/1 after three overs, the facet reached 60/1 in six overs. Rahane introduced up his fifty in simply 25 balls earlier than falling for 56 off 31 balls, hitting six fours and 4 sixes. In the meantime, Narine smashed 44 off 26 because the duo stitched 103 runs.
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