Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) brought the fireworks on the opening night of TATA IPL 2025 to begin their campaign with a special performance and kickstart what promises to be another thrilling season. The Rajat Patidar-led side registered a commanding seven-wicket victory over Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR), chasing down 175 with 22 deliveries to spare to cap off a memorable curtain-raiser for Season 18.

Virat Kohli, the most prolific run-getter in TATA IPL history, picked up from where he left in 2024, remaining unbeaten on 59 in the chase after a scintillating opening stand with Phil Salt (56 off 31). But the platform for the victory was set by player-of-the-match Krunal Pandya's 3/29 in four overs, which was instrumental in RCB's comeback after KKR were on song early on.

 

 

 

 

 

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Earlier, RCB won the toss and put KKR in to bat and the tone for the season was set in the very first over. Quinton de Kock was dropped on the third ball of the match off Josh Hazlewood as Suyash Sharma failed to hold onto a skier. But Sharma and KKR breathed a huge sigh of relief as Hazlewood struck only two deliveries later, with wicket-keeper Jitesh Sharma taking an impressive low catch.

Hazlewood and fellow new ball bowler Yash Dayal continued to apply the early pressure, keeping KKR down to 9/1 after three overs. But captain Ajinkya Rahane took it upon himself to announce the defending champions’ arrival in TATA IPL 2025. 

The scoring spree began with two stylish sixes and a four from Rahane off the bowling of Rasikh Dar. Sunil Narine soon joined the party and KKR ended the powerplay at 60/1, with Rahane off to 39*(16). Rahane brought up a 25-ball half-century on his KKR captaincy debut with a huge six.

 

 

 

 

 

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Dar struck to dismiss Narine (44 off 26), but KKR were in the ascendancy at 107/2 at the halfway mark.

However, one wicket brought another right away as Rahane (56 off 31) holed out in the deep with Pandya striking for RCB. Pandya then spun the momentum towards RCB as his superb spell of 3/29 in four overs pegged KKR back at 145/5 after 15 overs. Suyash Sharma cleaned up the dangerous Andre Russell with a googly soon after in another telling moment. Barring a strong cameo from Angkrish Raghuvanshi (30 off 22), the second half of the innings belonged to RCB as they kept KKR down to 174/8 after 20 overs.

 

 

 

 

 

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Unlike the start of KKR’s innings, RCB were on the attack from the get-go as Phil Salt and Virat Kohli sent the ball flying to all parts of the ground. They took RCB to 80/0 after six overs - their second-highest powerplay score in TATA IPL history - with the highlight of that early blitz being back-to-back 20+ run overs off Vaibhav Arona and Varun Chakaravarthy.

The iconic Virat Kohli goes down the ground 😎

Sit back and enjoy his exquisite stroke play 🎁🍿@RCBTweets race away to 80/0 after 6 overs.

Updates ▶ https://t.co/C9xIFpQDTn#TATAIPL | #KKRvRCB | @imVkohli pic.twitter.com/w4imLyZgbA

— IndianPremierLeague (@IPL) March 22, 2025

Salt fell for a breathtaking 56(31) as Chakaravarthy struck to make amends. But there was no stopping Kohli. He kept up with the attacking intent, getting to his 55th IPL fifty off 30 deliveries with a glorious shot over cover for four, and RCB were cruising along at 127/2 after 13 overs in pursuit of 175.

Rajat Patidar also made merry on his RCB captaincy debut with a quickfire 34(16).

#RCB fans, enjoyed your captain's innings?

Rajat Patidar sprinkled his elegant touch to the chase with a quick-fire 34(16) 💥@RCBTweets moving closer to the target 🎯

Updates ▶ https://t.co/C9xIFpQDTn#TATAIPL | #KKRvRCB | @RCBTweets | @rrjjt_01 pic.twitter.com/1P7buQ8m0O

— IndianPremierLeague (@IPL) March 22, 2025

Kohli, as he does so often, saw through the run-chase with an unbeaten knock of 59*(36) as RCB chased down the total in 16.2 overs to close out a memorable evening.

Brief Scorecard: Royal Challengers Bengaluru 177/3 in 16.2 overs (Virat Kohli 59*, Phil Salt 56, Rajat Patidar 34, Sunil Narine 1/27) beat Kolkata Knight Riders 174/8 in 20 overs (Ajinkya Rahane 56, Sunil Narine 44, Krunal Pandya 3/29, Josh Hazlewood 2-22) by seven wickets.

The full scorecard and match details can be found here.