Match Report: IPL 2025, Match 1 – Kolkata Knight Riders vs Royal Challengers Bengaluru
**Date:** Saturday, March 22, 2025
**Venue:** Eden Gardens, Kolkata
**Result:** Royal Challengers Bengaluru won by 7 wickets (with 22 balls remaining)
The Indian Premier League (IPL) 2025 kicked off in style at Eden Gardens, where Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) outclassed defending champions Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) by 7 wickets with 22 balls to spare. Chasing 175, RCB rode on explosive batting from Phil Salt and Virat Kohli, while Krunal Pandya’s match-defining 3/29 with the ball earned him the Player of the Match and Cricinfo MVP honors (92.59 points).
#### Toss and Conditions
RCB captain Rajat Patidar won the toss and elected to bowl, a decision that paid dividends on a batting-friendly Eden Gardens pitch. Despite an orange rain alert earlier in the day, clear skies prevailed, setting the stage for a full 40-over contest. The surface offered early pace but slowed down later, assisting spinners.
#### Kolkata Knight Riders Innings: 174/8 in 20 Overs
KKR’s innings began with a jolt as Quinton de Kock (4 off 5) nicked Josh Hazlewood to Jitesh Sharma in the first over, leaving them at 4/1. Captain Ajinkya Rahane (56 off 31, 6 fours, 4 sixes) and Sunil Narine (44 off 26, 5 fours, 3 sixes) steadied the ship with a 103-run stand off 56 balls. Rahane’s aggressive intent shone through, lofting Suyash Sharma for two sixes, while Narine smashed Rasikh Salam for three maximums. The duo took KKR to 107/2 by the 10th over.
Krunal Pandya turned the tide in the middle overs, dismissing Narine (caught behind) and Rahane (caught at long-on) in quick succession. Venkatesh Iyer (6 off 7) was bowled by Pandya’s arm ball, and KKR slumped to 125/4 after 12 overs. Angkrish Raghuvanshi (30 off 22) and Rinku Singh (12 off 10) tried to rebuild, but Pandya’s third scalp (Singh bowled) and Suyash Sharma’s removal of Andre Russell (4 off 3) triggered a collapse. Raghuvanshi fell to Yash Dayal, and Harshit Rana (5 off 6) was caught off Hazlewood, leaving KKR at 174/8. Ramandeep Singh (6* off 9) and Spencer Johnson (1* off 1) couldn’t push the total further.
**Key Bowling Performances (RCB):**
– Krunal Pandya: 4-0-29-3
– Josh Hazlewood: 4-0-22-2
– Yash Dayal: 3-0-25-1
#### Royal Challengers Bengaluru Innings: 177/3 in 16.2 Overs
Chasing 175, RCB’s Phil Salt (56 off 31, 9 fours, 2 sixes) and Virat Kohli (59* off 36, 4 fours, 3 sixes) unleashed a barrage, racing to 95/1 in 8.3 overs. Salt dominated the powerplay with 56 off 25 balls in the first six overs (RCB 73/0), smashing Vaibhav Arora and Spencer Johnson. Varun Chakaravarthy broke through, having Salt caught at long-off, but Kohli kept the momentum alive, reaching his fifty off 32 balls.
Devdutt Padikkal (10 off 10) fell to Narine, caught at deep midwicket, but captain Rajat Patidar (34 off 16, 5 fours, 1 six) joined Kohli in a 44-run stand off 23 balls. Patidar’s aggression—two fours off Rana and a six off Arora—put KKR on the back foot. Arora dismissed Patidar in the 15th over, but Liam Livingstone (15* off 5, 2 fours, 1 six) finished the job alongside Kohli, sealing the chase with a six off Johnson in the 17th over at 177/3.
**Key Bowling Performances (KKR):**
– Varun Chakaravarthy: 4-0-43-1
– Sunil Narine: 4-0-27-1
– Vaibhav Arora: 3-0-42-1
#### Player of the Match
Krunal Pandya’s 3/29, including the wickets of Rahane, Iyer, and Singh, swung the game RCB’s way, earning him the Player of the Match and Cricinfo MVP accolades.
#### Analysis
KKR’s 174/8 was a tale of promise undone by a middle-order collapse. Rahane and Narine set a strong platform, but Pandya’s spell exposed their fragility against spin. RCB’s chase was clinical—Salt’s blitz gave them a head start, Kohli anchored with finesse, and Patidar’s cameo ensured no hiccups. KKR’s bowlers, barring Narine, were expensive, with Johnson (0/31 in 2.2) and Arora (1/42) leaking runs. Eden Gardens’ 10,000-strong crowd saw RCB outplay the defending champions comprehensively.
#### Post-Match Reactions
– **Rajat Patidar (RCB Captain):** “Krunal’s spell was the turning point. Salt and Virat set it up beautifully—couldn’t ask for a better start to the season.”
– **Ajinkya Rahane (KKR Captain):** “We had a good start, but losing wickets in clusters hurt us. Credit to RCB for their execution.”
What’s Next?
RCB carry this momentum into their next clash against Punjab Kings on March 25 at Bengaluru, while KKR aim to regroup against Rajasthan Royals in Guwahati on March 26. The IPL 2025 opener showcased RCB’s intent, leaving KKR with plenty to ponder after a rare home defeat.
