Royal Challengers Bengaluru beat defending champions Kolkata Knight Riders in IPL opener

Royal Challengers Bengaluru's Phil Salt and Virat Kohli in action in the IPL opener. (Reuters)

• Bengaluru chased down the defending champions’ 174-8 with 22 balls to spare

KOLKATA: Virat Kohli scored 59 not out off 36 balls as Royal Challengers Bengaluru beat Kolkata Knight Riders by seven wickets Saturday in the opening game of the Indian Premier League.

The star batsman hit four fours and three sixes as Bengaluru chased down the defending champions’ 174-8 with 22 balls to spare.

Phil Salt scored 56 off 31 balls, adding 95 off 51 balls with Kohli in a whirlwind opening stand that powered Bengaluru’s total of 177-3 in 16.2 overs.

Salt, who played a prominent role for Kolkata in their 2024 triumph, was picked by Bengaluru in this season’s player auctions and made an impression in the very first game.

For Kolkata, skipper Ajinkya Rahane scored 56 off 31 balls, including six fours and four sixes.

Rahane is leading the defending champions after last year’s winning captain Shreyas Iyer was not retained by the franchise and moved to Punjab Kings for this season.

Bengaluru, led by Rajat Patidar for the first time, had won the toss and opted to bowl with the dew-factor in mind.

Put into bat, Kolkata lost Quinton de Kock early when he was caught behind off Josh Hazlewood for four.

A couple of catching chances went begging as the hosts fought back through Rahane and opener Sunil Narine.

Narine hit 44 off 26 balls, with five fours and three sixes, and put on 103 off 55 balls with Rahane. It was the skipper who set the tone by hitting six fours and four sixes in his first outing for Kolkata.

Bengaluru put on the brakes with spin as the duo both fell within four deliveries with the score reading 109-3 in 10.3 overs.

Kolkata then lost their way as big-money all-rounder Venkatesh Iyer was bowled for six, while Rinku Singh scored only 12.

Both were bowled off Krunal Pandya, who picked 3-29 in four overs in his first outing for Bengaluru. Andre Russell was also bowled for four off wrist spinner Suyash Sharma — another former Kolkata player.

Impact sub Angkrish Raghvanshi’s 30 off 22 balls pushed the score past 170, but it proved under par.

In reply, Kohli and Salt set an electric pace as the packed Eden Gardens chanted for the visiting side.

Salt hit nine fours and two sixes to set the tone and brought up 50 off only 25 balls. Kohli also scored at a brisk pace, as RCB was 80-0 in six overs – the highest opening stand in the powerplay in IPL history.

Kohli reached his 56th IPL half-century off 30 balls, and continued in attacking fashion, even as wickets fell at the other end.

There was too much dew for Kolkata’s spinners to have any impact, as Bengaluru pushed aggressively through the chase.

Patidar chipped in with a quickfire cameo – 34 off 16 balls, with five fours and a six – on his captaincy debut.

Sunday will see the first double-header of the season – 2024 runners-up Sunrisers Hyderabad first take on Rajasthan Royals at home, followed by the high-profile clash between Chennai Super Kings and Mumbai Indians in Chennai.