The IPL 2025 season started with an electrifying clash between Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) and Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR). RCB delivered a stunning seven-wicket victory over the defending champions on opening night. New signings Josh Hazlewood, Krunal Pandya, and Phil Salt shone brightly. Hazlewood’s tight bowling and Pandya’s three wickets disrupted KKR’s momentum.
Phil Salt’s fiery 56 off 31 balls ignited RCB’s chase. With an unbeaten 59 off 36, Virat Kohli sealed the deal with 22 balls left; he continued his form of CT 2025 against teams like Pakistan and New Zealand. KKR started firm with a 103-run stand between Ajinkya Rahane and Sunil Narine. However, their innings crumbled after this partnership, finishing at 174 for 8.
RCB’s spinners exploited KKR’s middle-order weaknesses on a batting-friendly pitch. The PowerPlay proved decisive, with RCB scoring 80 runs to KKR’s 60. This clinical performance showcased RCB’s depth and set a high tone for their campaign. Fans now eagerly await how both teams evolve in IPL 2025.
RCB Was Dominant and Disciplined?
RCB’s PowerPlay edge was pivotal in their victory over KKR. KKR limped to 9 runs in their first three overs. They recovered to 60, but RCB stormed to 80 without loss. Phil Salt unleashed a barrage of boundaries and sixes. Virat Kohli complemented him with precise, powerful shots. This 20-run gap slashed the chase pressure significantly. It handed RCB control from the outset.
Krunal Pandya’s spin bowling dismantled KKR’s batting lineup effectively. He struck in the middle overs, ending Rahane’s 56-run knock. Quick dismissals of Venkatesh Iyer and Rinku Singh followed. His 3 for 29 spells choked KKR’s scoring rate. Pandya’s tight lines and clever variations outsmarted the batsmen. This effort kept KKR’s total within RCB’s reach.
KKR vs RCB, 1st Match at Kolkata, IPL, Mar 22 2025 – Match Result
1st Match (N), Eden Gardens, March 22, 2025, Indian Premier League
RCB won by 7 wickets (with 22 balls remaining)
Kolkata Knight Riders (20 ovs maximum)
| Batting | R | B | M | 4s | 6s | SR | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Quinton de Kock †
|
c †Sharma b Hazlewood | 4 | 5 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 80.00 | ||
|
Sunil Narine
|
c †Sharma b Rasikh Salam | 44 | 26 | 52 | 5 | 3 | 169.23 | ||
|
Ajinkya Rahane (c)
|
c Rasikh Salam b Pandya | 56 | 31 | 51 | 6 | 4 | 180.64 | ||
|
Venkatesh Iyer
|
b Pandya | 6 | 7 | 11 | 1 | 0 | 85.71 | ||
|
Angkrish Raghuvanshi
|
c †Sharma b Yash Dayal | 30 | 22 | 36 | 2 | 1 | 136.36 | ||
|
Rinku Singh
|
b Pandya | 12 | 10 | 10 | 1 | 0 | 120.00 | ||
|
Andre Russell
|
b Suyash Sharma | 4 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 133.33 | ||
|
Ramandeep Singh
|
not out | 6 | 9 | 19 | 0 | 0 | 66.66 | ||
|
Harshit Rana
|
c †Sharma b Hazlewood | 5 | 6 | 4 | 1 | 0 | 83.33 | ||
|
Spencer Johnson
|
not out | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 100.00 | ||
| Extras | (lb 2, w 4) | 6 | |||||||
| Total |
20 Ov (RR: 8.70)
|
174/8 | |||||||
|
Did not bat: Varun Chakravarthy
|
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|
Fall of wickets: 1-4 (Quinton de Kock, 0.5 ov), 2-107 (Sunil Narine, 9.6 ov), 3-109 (Ajinkya Rahane, 10.3 ov), 4-125 (Venkatesh Iyer, 12.1 ov), 5-145 (Rinku Singh, 14.6 ov), 6-150 (Andre Russell, 15.4 ov), 7-168 (Angkrish Raghuvanshi, 18.5 ov), 8-173 (Harshit Rana, 19.5 ov)
|
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KKR vs RCB – Key Moments of KKR Innings
| Phase | Details |
|---|---|
| Powerplay (0.1 – 6.0 overs) | 60 runs, 1 wicket |
| Impact Player Subs (KKR) | Manish Pandey, Luvnith Sisodia, Anukul Roy, Anrich Nortje, Vaibhav Arora |
| Impact Player Subs (RCB) | Devdutt Padikkal, Romario Shepherd, Manoj Bhandage, Swapnil Singh, Abhinandan Singh |
| Milestones | KKR: 50 runs in 5.4 overs (34 balls), Extras: 0 |
| 2nd Wicket Partnership | 50 runs in 29 balls (SP Narine 17, AM Rahane 34, Ex 0) |
| Strategic Timeout (6.0 overs) | KKR: 60/1 (SP Narine 17, AM Rahane 39) |
| AM Rahane’s Fifty | 50 off 25 balls (6×4, 4×6) |
| KKR 100 Runs | In 9.3 overs (57 balls), Extras: 4 |
| 2nd Wicket Partnership | 100 runs in 54 balls (SP Narine 44, AM Rahane 55, Ex 4) |
| KKR 150 Runs | In 15.3 overs (93 balls), Extras: 5 |
| Strategic Timeout (15.4 overs) | KKR: 150/6 (A Raghuvanshi 19) |
| RCB Impact Player Sub (15.6 overs) | Devdutt Padikkal in for Suyash Sharma |
| Innings Break | KKR: 174/8 in 20.0 overs (Ramandeep Singh 6, SH Johnson 1) |
| Bowling | O | M | R | W | ECON | 0s | 4s | 6s | WD | NB | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Josh Hazlewood
|
4 | 0 | 22 | 2 | 5.50 | 16 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 0 | |
|
Yash Dayal
|
3 | 0 | 25 | 1 | 8.33 | 7 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 0 | |
|
Rasikh Salam
|
3 | 0 | 35 | 1 | 11.66 | 9 | 3 | 3 | 2 | 0 | |
|
Krunal Pandya
|
4 | 0 | 29 | 3 | 7.25 | 8 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 0 | |
|
Suyash Sharma
|
4 | 0 | 47 | 1 | 11.75 | 8 | 6 | 2 | 1 | 0 | |
|
Liam Livingstone
|
2 | 0 | 14 | 0 | 7.00 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Royal Challengers Bengaluru (T: 175 runs from 20 ovs)
| Batting | R | B | M | 4s | 6s | SR | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Phil Salt
|
c Johnson b Varun | 56 | 31 | 40 | 9 | 2 | 180.64 | ||
|
Virat Kohli
|
not out | 59 | 36 | 77 | 4 | 3 | 163.88 | ||
|
Devdutt Padikkal
|
c Ramandeep Singh b Narine | 10 | 10 | 11 | 1 | 0 | 100.00 | ||
|
Rajat Patidar (c)
|
c Singh b Arora | 34 | 16 | 17 | 5 | 1 | 212.50 | ||
|
Liam Livingstone
|
not out | 15 | 5 | 4 | 2 | 1 | 300.00 | ||
| Extras | (lb 2, w 1) | 3 | |||||||
| Total |
16.2 Ov (RR: 10.83)
|
177/3 | |||||||
|
Did not bat: Jitesh Sharma †,
Tim David,
Krunal Pandya,
Rasikh Salam,
Josh Hazlewood,
Yash Dayal
|
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|
Fall of wickets: 1-95 (Phil Salt, 8.3 ov), 2-118 (Devdutt Padikkal, 11.4 ov), 3-162 (Rajat Patidar, 15.3 ov)
|
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KKR vs RCB – Key Moments of RCB Innings
| Phase | Details |
|---|---|
| Powerplay (0.1 – 6.0 overs) | 80 runs, 0 wickets |
| KKR Impact Player Sub (19.6 overs, KKR Innings) | Vaibhav Arora in for Angkrish Raghuvanshi |
| Milestones | RCB: 50 runs in 3.4 overs (22 balls), Extras: 2 |
| 1st Wicket Partnership | 50 runs in 22 balls (PD Salt 36, V Kohli 12, Ex 2) |
| Strategic Timeout (6.0 overs) | RCB: 80/0 (PD Salt 49, V Kohli 29) |
| PD Salt’s Fifty | 50 off 25 balls (8×4, 2×6) |
| RCB 100 Runs | In 9.5 overs (59 balls), Extras: 3 |
| V Kohli’s Fifty | 50 off 30 balls (4×4, 3×6) |
| RCB 150 Runs | In 14.5 overs (89 balls), Extras: 3 |
| Strategic Timeout (15.3 overs) | RCB: 162/3 (V Kohli 59) |
| Bowling | O | M | R | W | ECON | 0s | 4s | 6s | WD | NB | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Vaibhav Arora
|
3 | 0 | 42 | 1 | 14.00 | 4 | 7 | 1 | 1 | 0 | |
|
Spencer Johnson
|
2.2 | 0 | 31 | 0 | 13.28 | 7 | 3 | 3 | 0 | 0 | |
|
Varun Chakravarthy
|
4 | 0 | 43 | 1 | 10.75 | 7 | 5 | 2 | 0 | 0 | |
|
Harshit Rana
|
3 | 0 | 32 | 0 | 10.66 | 4 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
|
Sunil Narine
|
4 | 0 | 27 | 1 | 6.75 | 5 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
Key Factors in RCB’s Victory
RCB’s triumph hinged on strategic brilliance and standout individual efforts against KKR. Their PowerPlay dominance laid the foundation, outscoring KKR by 20 runs. Josh Hazlewood’s 2 for 22 stifled KKR’s early and late scoring bursts. Krunal Pandya’s spin wizardry turned the tide, claiming 3 for 29 in the middle overs. His wickets broke KKR’s backbone, limiting them to a chaseable 174.
Phil Salt’s aggressive batting and Virat Kohli’s composure powered RCB’s response. Salt smashed 56 off 31, while Kohli’s 59 off 36 ensured a smooth chase like he did against Australia. The duo’s 103-run opening stand crushed KKR’s bowling morale. RCB’s ability to seize key moments, like the PowerPlay and middle overs, was crucial.
Their new acquisitions gelled seamlessly, proving their worth on debut. This blend of disciplined bowling and explosive batting secured a seven-wicket win. RCB’s early statement signals a formidable IPL 2025 campaign ahead.
Phil Salt and Virat Kohli’s partnership crushed KKR’s hopes early. Salt’s 56 off 31 balls featured fearless strokeplay. Kohli’s unbeaten 59 off 36 provided stability and class. Their 103-run stand came at a blistering pace. KKR’s bowlers found no answers to their onslaught. This duo’s brilliance ensured a stress-free chase for RCB.
KKR’s Missed Opportunities
KKR’s defeat stemmed from critical lapses that RCB exploited ruthlessly. Their PowerPlay stutter saw just 9 runs in three overs. A 103-run partnership between Rahane and Narine promised much. Yet, KKR couldn’t sustain this momentum after Narine’s exit. The middle order faltered, with quick wickets derailing their progress. In the death overs, they scored a mere 29 runs. Three wickets fell, exposing their lower-order frailty.
Josh Hazlewood’s disciplined spell compounded their woes. KKR’s bowlers also failed to disrupt RCB’s openers early. Varun Chakaravarthy bled runs, unable to stem the tide. These missed chances in batting and bowling cost them dearly. KKR’s inability to capitalize left them vulnerable. RCB’s seven-wicket win highlighted these glaring shortcomings.
Slow Start in PowerPlay
KKR’s PowerPlay began poorly, crippling their innings from the start. They crawled to 9 runs in three overs. Sunil Narine struggled against Hazlewood’s bounce and movement. He scored just 5 off 11 balls early on. Rahane’s late surge lifted them to 60. Still, this sluggish beginning handed RCB the upper hand.
Inability to Capitalize on Partnership
The 103-run Rahane-Narine stand was KKR’s brightest moment. Rahane’s 56 and Narine’s 44 set a solid platform. However, Narine’s dismissal triggered a collapse. The middle order, including Iyer and Singh, failed to build on it. Their quick exits squandered a chance for a big total. KKR’s momentum fizzled out too soon.
Death Overs Collapse
KKR’s deathovers unravelled, sealing their fate against RCB. They managed only 29 runs in five overs. Three wickets, including Andre Russell’s, fell quickly. Hazlewood’s tight bowling restricted them to 15 runs in his last two. The lower order couldn’t accelerate when it mattered. This collapse left KKR defendable.
What Next for the Teams?
RCB’s commanding win boosts their confidence for the road ahead. They face Chennai Super Kings next in Chepauk. Historically, it’s a challenging venue for them. Yet, their spinners’ form offers hope on a turning track. Krunal Pandya and Suyash Sharma could trouble CSK’s batsmen. This victory’s momentum might carry them far. KKR, meanwhile, must regroup after this setback. Their batting depth and bowling need urgent fixes. They meet the Rajasthan Royals in Guwahati soon. It’s a chance to address their inconsistencies. Both teams face critical tests in IPL 2025’s early stages.
