IPL 2025: Virat Kohli Masterclass Helps Royal Challengers Bengaluru Outclass Kolkata Knight Riders

After a glittering opening ceremony highlighted by Shah Rukh Khan, Shreya Ghoshal, Disha Patani and Karan Aujla, Rajat Patidar called the toss of the coin correctly and asked Ajinkya Rahane to bat first.

Quinton de Kock came out to open the innings For KKR alongside Sunil Narine and paced the second ball from Josh Hazlewood through the their-man region for a silky boundary. The South African got a reprieve on the next ball as he skied a bouncer but former knight Suyash Sharma dropped the sitter. RCB faithful were not disappointed for long as de Kock tickled the fifth ball that nipped back to Jitesh Sharma who made no mistake behind the stumps.

Narine looked patchy with bat hand, returning to open for the first time since the last IPL season and got a streaky boundary off Hazlewood. KKR skipper Rahane looked in better touch, dispatching Rasikh Dar Salam for a four and two sixes in the fourth over. The West Indian star all-rounder liked Krunal Pandya coming into the inning as he smashed him for one six and two boundaries.

Dayal was called back to bowl but the onslaught continued from the KKR batters as the 50-run partnership was reached in 29 balls as the net run-rate reached a ‘respectable’ 10 by the end of the powerplay, despite being reduced to 9/1 after the first three overs.

Rahane reached his fifty with a maximum off Suyash in 25 balls at a strike rate of over 200 as Narine too shifted into the next gear to bring up the 100-run partnership.

At the halfway stage, Narine was sent back by Rasikh but KKR had managed to reach 107/2.

Venkatesh Iyer joined his skipper at the crease only for Rahane to sweep Krunal straight to Rasikh, falling for a 31-ball 56. The KKR vice-captain’s stay at the crease was not long as he missed a straight delivery from Krunal.

Angkrish Raghuvanshi and Rinku Singh combined to maintain the flow of runs but Krunal struck again to send back the left-hander, cleaning him up after getting him to play across the line. The spin-bowling all-rounder finished his spell for the night with three wickets to his name, breaking the KKR middle-order’s back.

Andre Russell walked in and smashed Suyash for a boundary through the covers to bring up the 150 For KKR but the RCB leg-spinner got his revenge on the very next ball, cleaning up the West Indian star with a slower wrong-un.

Patidar opted to go for more spin as Ramandeep Singh and Angkrish opted to run singles, forcing a stem on the flow of runs.

Hazlewood and Dayal returned to finish off the innings. Young Angkrish looked good in good touch, smashing two fours and a massive six but edged his pull behind to Jitesh.

KKR’s innings lost momentum in the end overs as Harshit Rana walked in and fell to Hazlewood, finishing with 174/8 from their 20 overs.

RCB started off the chase in blistering fashion as Phil Salt and Kohli took on Spencer Johnson and Impact Sub Vaibhav Arora with the dew coming into play.

Four and sixes rained down at the Eden as the partisan crowd joined voices in unison to cheer for Kohli. Rahane looked taken aback by the sheer audacity of Salt as Varun Chakaravarthy was hit for 21 runs in his first over. RCB raced to 80 for no loss in the powerplay.

Salt reached his fifty with an exact strike-rate of 200 as Narine too came into the attack but Varun removed the Englishman after smashing a 31-ball-56.

RCB Impact Sub Devdutt Padikkal walked out to bat as they reached 104/1 at the halfway point of the innings. Narine spun his magic as Padikkal grew impatient and found Ramandeep in the deep.

Kohli reached his fifty on his 30th ball as a fan jumped the barricade to run over and touch his feet. The RCB legend is the only player to play for the same franchise in all seasons of the IPL looked at ease at the crease and had definitive control of the chase.

RCB skipper Patidar joined Kohli as RCB crossed the 150-run mark inside 15 overs. Patidar tried to finish it off early but found Rinku in the deep as Vaibhav managed a breakthrough.

Livingstone walked out to bat and completed the formality as RCB clinched the opening tie of the season with 22 balls to spare.