Phil Salt’s extraordinary assault and Virat Kohli’s star power propelled Royal Challengers Bengaluru to outshine defending champion Kolkata Knight Riders by seven wickets in the Indian Premier League-18 season opener at the Eden Gardens in Kolkata on Saturday (March 22, 2025).
After restricting KKR to 174, RCB cruised to victory with plenty to spare.
With a significant part of Eden switching loyalty and chanting ‘RCB, RCB’ and ‘Kohli, Kohli’, RCB openers, Kohli and Phil Salt, unleashed firepower to plunder 80 runs in the Powerplay on a batter-friendly track and make the chase a cakewalk.
Donning a different uniform in a familiar setting, Salt (56, 31b, 9×4, 2×6) exhibited his trademark ruthless hammering, comprising some awe-inspiring drives but also some deft cuts, to punish bowlers of his former team as he raced to his fifty in 25 balls.
Kohli (59 n.o., 36b, 4×4, 3×6) joined the party with two straight-batted sixes off Spencer Johnson and as many fours off Vaibhav Arora.
Varun Chakaravarthy broke the breezy 95-run stand as Salt ill-timed one to short third-man and Sunil Narine accounted for impact player Devdutt Padikkal.
Nevertheless, Kohli controlled the chase and played a few more well-executed shots to score a fast-paced half-century and help RCB post win. It ensured a memorable beginning for new skipper Rajat Patidar.
Earlier, Quinton de Kock was caught behind off Josh Hazlewood before making an impact in KKR colours.
With Hazlewood showing his quick adaptability to the impressive bounce and movement, RCB pacers kept it tight in the first three overs before KKR batters, led by Rahane (56, 31b, 6×4, 4×6), gathered runs briskly.
The experienced Rahane, showing control over his strokes and placement, chose the bowlers and his areas, mostly the leg side, brilliantly.
Narine (44, 26b, 5×4, 3×6), who swung his bat to good effect in a 103-run stand.
RCB claimed Narine and Rahane in quick succession around the halfway stage. Narine was caught behind off Rasikh Dar, while Rahane pulled Krunal Pandya to backward square-leg.
RCB bowlers fought back with Krunal scalping Vekatesh Iyer and Rinku Singh with his accuracy. RCB gained more ground in the middle overs and followed it up with a clinical finish.
Scoreboard
Kolkata Knight Riders: Quinton de Kock c Jitesh b Hazlewood 4 (5b, 1×4), Sunil Narine c Jitesh b Rasikh 44 (26b, 5×4, 3×6), Ajinkya Rahane c Rasikh b Krunal 56 (31b, 6×4, 4×6), Venkatesh Iyer b Krunal 6 (7b, 1×4), Angkrish Raghuvanshi c Jitesh b Dayal 30 (22b, 2×4, 1×6), Rinku Singh c Krunal 12 (10b, 1×4), Andre Russell b Suyash 4 (3b, 1×4), Ramandeep Singh (not out) 6 (9b), Harshit Rana c Jitesh b Hazlewood 5 (6b, 1×4), Spencer Johnson (not out) 1 (1b); Extras (lb-2, w-4): 6
Total (for eight wkts. in 20 overs): 174.
Fall of wickets: 1-4 (de Kock, 0.5), 2-107 (Narine, 9.6), 3-109 (Rahane, 10.3), 4-125 (Venkatesh, 12.1), 5-145 (Rinku, 14.6), 6-150 (Russell, 15.4), 7-168 (Raghuvanshi, 18.5), 8-173 (Harshit, 19.5).
Royal Challengers Bengaluru bowling: Hazlewood 4-0-22-2, Dayal 3-0-25-1, Rasikh 3-0-35-1, Krunal 4-0-29-3, Suyash 4-0-47-1, Livingstone 2-0-14-0.
Published – March 22, 2025 07:33 pm IST
