Kohli leads RCB to seven-wicket win over KKR in IPL opener

The Royal Challengers Bengaluru and Kolkata Knight Riders got the 2025 IPL underway in style on Saturday night, with RCB winning a run fest at Eden Gardens by seven wickets.

Hosts KKR came into the match as slight favourites across IPL betting sites, priced at $1.77 to win game one of IPL 18.

They got off to a strong start as well after being put in to bat first by Bengaluru, racing out to 107/1 inside the first 10 overs after losing Quinton de Kock (4 from 5) early.

However, the opening flurry from Sunil Narine (44 from 26) and Ajinkya Rahane (56 from 31) could not be sustained over the second half of the innings.

Wickets fell with regularity as Krunal Pandya took 3/29 and Australia’s Josh Hazlewood chipped in with 2/22.

Cameos by Angkrish Raghuvanshi (30 from 22) and Rinku Singh (12 from 10) ensured that Kolkata posted a competitive total of 174/8 from their 20 overs, but the home side will have felt like they left runs out there.

It was those runs that made the difference as RCB got off to a lightning-quick start of their own and was never really troubled en route to a seven-wicket victory.

English opener Phil Salt blazed 56 from 31 at the top of the order, while Kohli went one better, carrying his bat and making 59 off 36.

After Salt fell, Devdutt Padikkal (10 from 10), Rajat Patidar (34 from 16) and Liam Livingstone (15 from 5) kept the momentum going, with the latter seeing RCB over the finish line alongside Kohli.

“Kohli and I haven’t batted together much, so putting on a partnership like that was key,” shared Salt after the match.

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“It’s a ground I know; had a simple game plan coming in.

“Wanted to go on longer, but not to be.

“Batting second here makes a bit of a difference; you have to hit through the line.”

KKR captain Rahane, meanwhile, confessed that his side should have gone on to get 200+ after their strong start.

“We went well till the 13th over; two to three wickets changed momentum,” he said.

“We have to learn from our mistakes.

“We thought 210-220 was par when Venky and I were batting, but we lost wickets.

“We don’t want to think too much about this game; we just want to improve as a unit.”

RCB shortened to $8 favourites for the 2025 IPL title as a result of their opening victory, while KKR lengthened slightly to $13 with BetOnline.

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