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Tag: KKR vs RCB

  • Fans go berserk as Virat Kohli and Phil Salt’s blistering knock takes RCB home against KKR in the IPL 2025 opener

    Fans go berserk as Virat Kohli and Phil Salt’s blistering knock takes RCB home against KKR in the IPL 2025 opener

    IPL 2025 season kicked off with a high-octane clash between defending champions Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) and Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) at Eden Gardens. KKR, under Ajinkya Rahane’s leadership, began their innings with optimism but faced early setbacks. Quinton de Kock fell cheaply in the very first over, caught behind off Josh Hazlewood for just 4 runs. However, Sunil Narine and Rahane steadied the ship with a scintillating partnership. Rahane was in sublime form, smashing 56 off just 31 balls, including six boundaries and four towering sixes. Narine complemented him well with a brisk 44 off 26 balls, maintaining a strike rate of 169.23.

    KKR reached 107/2 by the halfway mark, but their momentum faltered after Rahane’s dismissal in the 11th over. Krunal Pandya’s crafty bowling dismantled the middle order, claiming three crucial wickets, including Venkatesh Iyer and Rinku Singh. Angkrish Raghuvanshi contributed a handy 30 off 22 balls, but the lower order struggled to accelerate. Andre Russell and Harshit Rana fell cheaply, leaving KKR at 174/8 after 20 overs. Hazlewood (2/22) and Pandya (3/29) were standout performers with the ball for RCB.

    Virat Kohli and Phil Salt’s fiery opening partnership sets the tone

    RCB’s chase began explosively as Phil Salt and Virat Kohli opened the innings with intent. The duo capitalized on Eden Gardens’ batting-friendly conditions, racing to 50 runs within just 22 balls. Salt was particularly aggressive, smashing boundaries at will and bringing up his half-century off just 25 deliveries. His knock of 56 off 31 balls included nine fours and two sixes, setting the tone for RCB’s chase.

    Kohli played the perfect foil to Salt’s aggression, rotating the strike and finding gaps effortlessly. By the end of the powerplay, RCB had amassed an impressive 80/0, putting immense pressure on KKR’s bowlers. Salt eventually fell to Varun Chakravarthy in the ninth over, but his contribution had already laid a solid foundation for the chase.

    Kohli’s masterclass: Unbeaten and unstoppable

    With Salt back in the pavilion, Kohli took charge of the innings. The former Indian skipper showcased his trademark consistency and calm under pressure, anchoring the chase with an unbeaten knock of 59 off just 36 balls. Kohli’s innings was a blend of elegance and power, featuring four boundaries and three sixes at a strike rate of 163.88.

    Rajat Patidar joined Kohli at the crease and played a blistering cameo, scoring 34 runs off just 16 balls before falling to Vaibhav Arora. By then, RCB were already cruising towards victory. Liam Livingstone added finishing touches with an explosive unbeaten knock of 15 off five balls, sealing the win in style.

    A dominant victory for RCB

    RCB chased down KKR’s target of 175 with ease, finishing at 177/3 in just 16.2 overs—an emphatic seven-wicket victory with 22 balls to spare. The opening partnership between Salt and Kohli proved pivotal, while Kohli’s unbeaten knock reinforced his status as one of T20 cricket’s finest finishers.

    KKR’s bowlers struggled to contain RCB’s batters on a flat pitch. Narine (1/27) was economical compared to others but lacked support from his teammates as Vaibhav and Spencer Johnson leaked runs heavily.

    Also WATCH: Krunal Pandya’s bouncer sets up splendid dismissal of Venkatesh Iyer in IPL 2025 opener

    Here’s how fans reacted:

    Also WATCH: Jay Shah, Sourav Ganguly, and Jhulan Goswami ring the bell to inaugurate IPL 2025 opener at Eden Gardens



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  • RCB Playing 11 vs KKR- IPL 2025, Match 1

    RCB Playing 11 vs KKR- IPL 2025, Match 1

    Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) will be looking to start their campaign in IPL 2025 on a strong note as they will be facing reigning champions Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR). The mouthwatering clash is scheduled to be played at the Eden Gardens in Kolkata on Saturday (March 22).

    RCB will be keen to start their campaign strongly and avoid the type of situation they were in last season. They were on the verge of getting knocked out at the league stage in IPL 2024 after losing seven of their first eight matches.

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    However, they staged a remarkable turnaround and won six games in a row to make it to the playoffs. Their dream run finally came to an end with a defeat against Rajasthan Royals in the Eliminator.

    For IPL 2025, Royal Challengers Bengaluru have named Rajat Patidar as their new captain after releasing Faf du Plessis. They will be hoping that their new captain finally leads them to glory.

    So as RCB gear up for the tournament opener, we are taking a look at the RCB Playing 11 for their game against KKR.

    RCB Playing 11 vs KKR- IPL 2025, Match 1:

    Openers: Virat Kohli, Phil Salt (wk)

    With Faf du Plessis no more a part of the Royal Challengers Bengaluru camp, the franchise is set to have a new opening combination for IPL 2025. Phil Salt is likely to replace du Plessis in the RCB Playing 11 this season. Salt plied his trade for KKR last season and played a key role in the team’s triumphant campaign.

    He has good knowledge of the conditions at the Eden Gardens and will be looking to make the most of it. The right-handed batsman had scored 435 runs in 12 games at a strike rate of over 180 last season.

    Partnering with Salt at the top of the order is none other than batting superstar Virat Kohli. With Royal Challengers Bengaluru desperate to win their first-ever IPL trophy, the onus will be on the senior batsman to deliver with the bat once again. Kohli had a standout season with the bat last year where he finished the tournament as the highest run-scorer.

    In a season where no other batsman could even reach the 600-run mark, Kohli had scored 741 runs at a strike rate of over 150. He will be looking to enjoy yet another prolific season with the bat for the Bengaluru-based franchise.

    Middle-order batsmen and allrounders: Rajat Patidar (c), Devdutt Padikkal, Liam Livingstone, Tim David, Krunal Pandya

    RCB have formed a formidable middle-order for IPL 2025 and they will be hoping that the players live up to the expectations. The onus will be on the newly-appointed captain Rajat Patidar to lead the team from the front.

    Patidar impressed one and all with his batting especially against spinners last year and will look to deliver once again.

    He had scored 395 runs last season at a strike rate of almost 180. Royal Challengers Bengaluru has also re-signed Devdutt Padikkal and will be hoping that the local boy rediscovers his mojo and enjoy a good season with the bat. He played for RCB in 2020 and 2021 and scored more than 400 runs in both seasons.

    The all-rounders and the finishers in the RCB Playing 11 are expected to be Liam Livingstone, Tim David, and Krunal Pandya. All three players can change the course of the game and they will be keen to start their journey with RCB on a good note.

    Livingstone has played 39 IPL games so far and has scored 939 runs at a strike rate of 160, including six half-centuries. He has taken 11 wickets as well with his part-time bowling.

    David, on the other hand, could blow just any team away on his day. He played for Mumbai Indians last season. Krunal can deliver match-winning performances with both bat and ball. An experienced allrounder, Krunal has played 127 IPL matches so far, scoring 1647 runs in addition to taking 76 wickets.

    Bowlers: Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Josh Hazlewood, Yash Dayal, Suyash Sharma

    The bowling lineup has always been the weak link for Royal Challengers Bengaluru but the franchise has managed to form a strong lineup for this season. They have added several proven campaigners to their squad and will be hoping that the players live up to the expectations.

    Experienced pacer Bhuvneshwar Kumar is set to lead the pace attack with Josh Hazlewood and Yash Dayal as the other fast bowlers. On the other hand, Suyash Sharma is expected to be the sole frontline spinner in the RCB Playing 11 with the likes of Livingstone and Krunal being the other spin bowling options.

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  • KKR vs RCB: Virat Kohli on the cusp of becoming the first batter to achieve this massive feat in IPL

    KKR vs RCB: Virat Kohli on the cusp of becoming the first batter to achieve this massive feat in IPL

    Image: IPLT20

    KKR vs RCB: Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) batter Virat Kohli is on the verge of achieving a massive feat in the Indian Premier League (IPL). The batter is just 56 runs away from completing 1,000 runs against Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) in the history of the league. 

    Royal Challengers Bengaluru batter Virat Kohli will have a great opportunity to achieve the feat in the upcoming KKR vs RCB game. The game between the two rivals will be played on Sunday (21st April) at the Eden Gardens in Kolkata, in an afternoon fixture. 

    If Virat Kohli achieves the feat he will become the first player in the IPL to achieve the landmark against three different teams in the Indian Premier League. The batter has achieved the feat against Delhi Capitals and Chennai Super Kings in the league and would be keen to do that against Kolkata Knight Riders. 

    Virat Kohli has been in tremendous touch in the Indian Premier League. The Royal Challengers Bengaluru batter is the orange cap holder in the league and is single-handedly carrying the batting lineup of his team in the ongoing league. 

    Also Read: IPL slaps Rishabh Pant-led Delhi Capitals (DC) with 24 Lakh Fine for Slow Over Rate Offences during DC vs KKR game

    The RCB team is struggling to get going in the league and is reeling at the bottom of the table. Their chances to qualify for the playoffs look bleak but if they manage to win their next few games in the tournament, things can change for them. 

    For that, Virat Kohli needs to be at his best with the bat and also will need support from the other players as well. The batter so far has mustered 361 runs in 7 games at a strike rate of 147. The batters also have slammed two fifties and one century in the league so far. 

    KKR vs RCB: Probable playing 11 for RCB and KKR

    Here’s the predicted KKR playing 11 

    IPL 2024, RCB vs KKR Match Highlights: KKR Defeated RCB by 7 Wickets, Virat Kohli's 83 runs Knock in ruins
    IPL 2024, RCB vs KKR Match Highlights | Image Credit: X.com(@Cricbuzz)

    Phil Salt, Sunil Narine, Angkrish Raghuvanshi, Shreyas Iyer, Venkatesh Iyer/Nitish Rana, Rinku Singh, Andre Russell, Ramandeep Singh, Mitchell Starc, Harshit Rana, Varun Chakravarthy [Impact Substitute: Vaibhav Arora 

    Here’s the Probable XI for RCB

    Faf du Plessis, Virat Kohli, Will Jacks, Rajat Patidar, Cameron Green, Dinesh Karthik, Anuj Rawat, Mahipal Lomror, Alzarri Joseph, Vijaykumar Vyshak, Mohammed Siraj [Impact Substitute: Yash Dayal] 

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