Virat Kohli played an unbeaten knock of 59 as Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) comfortably defeated defending champions Kolkata Knight Riders by seven wickets in the opening match of the Indian Premier League (IPL).
Chasing 175 for victory, Kohli formed a solid 95-run partnership with England’s Phil Salt, who contributed a quickfire 56 from 31 balls on a flat pitch at Eden Gardens.
RCB reached their target in 16.2 overs, with new captain Rajat Patidar playing a brilliant 34 off 16 balls. England’s Liam Livingstone hit the winning runs, scoring 15 not out from just five balls, including two fours and a six.
Kolkata made a strong start, reaching 107-1 within 10 overs after South Africa’s Quinton de Kock was dismissed for four in the first over. Sunil Narine and captain Ajinkya Rahane then added 103 runs for the second wicket.
However, RCB fought back with regular wickets, led by a crafty 3-29 spell from spinner Krunal Pandya, who dismissed Rahane for 56, as well as Shreyas Iyer (6) and Rinku Singh (12).
Pandya was well-supported by Australian seamer Josh Hazlewood, who, after missing the recent Champions Trophy due to injury, delivered an economical 2-22.
Post-match, Rahane acknowledged his side had hoped to post a score exceeding 200, given the excellent batting conditions. This was evident as RCB easily chased down the target, sending an early statement in their quest for a long-awaited IPL title.
RCB reached the 2024 Eliminator but were eliminated by Rajasthan Royals, while Kohli finished as the tournament’s leading run-scorer with 741 runs in 15 innings.
