The Indian Premier League (IPL) 2025 began with an exciting match between the Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) and the Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) at Eden Gardens in Kolkata. RCB emerged victorious, marking a strong start to their season.
Match Summary
- Toss: RCB won and chose to bowl first.
- KKR’s Total: 174 runs for 8 wickets in 20 overs.
- RCB’s Chase: Achieved the target in 15 overs, losing 3 wickets.
Detailed Breakdown
KKR’s Batting:
KKR’s innings started with the early loss of opener Quinton de Kock, who scored 4 runs. Captain Ajinkya Rahane and Sunil Narine then formed a strong partnership, adding 103 runs in just 55 balls. Rahane played aggressively, hitting a half-century off 25 balls, while Narine contributed 34 runs off 22 balls. However, after their dismissals, KKR’s middle order struggled to maintain the momentum, managing only 33 runs in the last six overs. This slowdown limited KKR to a total of 174 runs for 8 wickets.
RCB’s Bowling:
RCB’s bowlers made a strong comeback after the initial partnership. Krunal Pandya was particularly effective, taking 3 wickets for 29 runs, including the crucial wickets of Rahane and Venkatesh Iyer. Josh Hazlewood also performed well, dismissing Quinton de Kock early in the innings.
RCB’s Batting:
Chasing 175 runs, RCB’s innings was anchored by captain Virat Kohli, who scored a quick half-century off 30 balls. He was well-supported by Rajat Patidar, and together they dominated KKR’s bowling attack. Their partnership ensured that RCB reached the target comfortably, scoring 162 runs for 3 wickets in 15 overs.
Key Performances
- Ajinkya Rahane (KKR): 56 runs off 31 balls.
- Sunil Narine (KKR): 34 runs off 22 balls.
- Krunal Pandya (RCB): 3 wickets for 29 runs.
- Virat Kohli (RCB): 50 runs off 30 balls.
RCB’s comprehensive performance in both bowling and batting led them to a convincing win in their opening match of IPL 2025. KKR will look to address their middle-order batting issues in the upcoming games to bounce back stronger.
