IPL 2025: RCB scores emphatic win over KKR in Match 1
Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) have made a great start to IPL 2025. In their very first match, RCB defeated Kolkata Knight Riders by 7 wickets in their home. Match-winning innings were seen from the bats of Virat Kohli (59 not out) and Phil Salt (56 runs). Captain Patidar played a big role in RCB’s victory by a quick fire 34 runs. Batting first at Eden Gardens, KKR scored 174/8 in the stipulated 20 overs. In response, RCB won by scoring 177/3 with 22 balls to spare.
Chasing the target, Virat Kohli and Phil Salt came out to open for RCB. Both gave a strong start to the team and added 95 runs for the first wicket. Salt was dismissed after playing a half-century innings with 9 fours and 2 sixes. However, Virat Kohli remained unbeaten in match 1 of Tata IPL 2025. Kohli’s unbeaten innings included 4 fours and 3 sixes. Rajat Patidar played a captaincy innings, scoring a quick 34 runs in 16 balls, which pushed RCB towards victory. Patidar hit 5 fours and a six. Liam Livingstone added an unbeaten 15 runs in 5 balls.
Rahane-Narine’s innings in vain
Batting first, Kolkata had a bad start when opener Quinton de Kock got out in the first over after scoring 4 runs, but Sunil Narine, along with captain Ajinkya Rahane, brought the scoreboard back on track by making a century partnership for the second wicket. After the dismissal of Narine (44) in the 10th over, KKR’s innings faltered, as Rahane (56) also returned after completing his half-century. After this, only Angkrish Raghuvanshi was able to face the RCB bowlers, who added 30 runs. At one time, KKR’s innings, which was hoping to cross 200, stopped at 174 runs.
Batsmen trapped in Pandya’s spin
Krunal Pandya was the best bowler for RCB. He took 3 wickets for just 29 runs in his quota of 4 overs. Krunal took the big wickets of Rinku Singh, Venkatesh Iyer and Ajinkya Rahane. Apart from him, pacer Josh Hazlewood took the wickets of De Kock and Harshit Rana. His bowling was also economical, as he conceded only 22 runs in 4 overs. Yash Dayal, Rashikh Salam and Suyash Sharma got one wicket each. On the other hand, the performance of KKR bowlers was poor.
