The Festival of India has begun, and RCB won the first match of the season. They defeated the defending champions, Kolkata Knight Riders, convincingly. Rajat Patidar and his team executed a professional chase to a below-par target set by Ajinkya Rahane’s men.
Bengaluru started the match on the right note, with Josh Hazlewood dismissing Quinton de Kock. Although former KKR player Suyash Sharma dropped his catch, it didn’t cost RCB much. However, what followed after de Kock’s wicket put Rajat Patidar under pressure. KKR recovered quickly from the early setback and finished the powerplay with 60 runs on the board.
Patidar, captaining his first IPL match, impressed everyone with his smart bowling changes. Every RCB bowler took a wicket. Rashikh Dhar dismissed the dangerous Sunil Narine, while Suyash removed Andre Russell cheaply. However, the standout performers were Krunal Pandya and Hazlewood, with the former taking three wickets and the Aussie claiming two.
RCB started strong, with Phil Salt and Virat Kohli scoring 70 runs in the powerplay. Even S Narine, Varun Chakravarthy, and Harshit Rana—key players in KKR’s title win—couldn’t stop RCB from chasing the target. Patidar’s team has begun the season well, securing two crucial points.
Fans react to RCB’s win against Kolkata Knight Riders in the first match of IPL 2025
Few fans expected RCB to dominate the defending champions, especially given the record. Before this match, the Knight Riders had won six of their last eight games against RCB. After Rajat Patidar and his team’s impressive win, fans across India reacted on social media.
One fan celebrated RCB’s win, claiming that CSK fans were more upset than KKR fans. Others were shocked by the three-time IPL finalists’ performance in the opening match. Another user argued that Kohli deserved to be the Player of the Match for his brilliant half-century. Here are some top fan reactions:
Some fans felt confident after the team’s strong performance, hoping for a better season ahead. Others were impressed by RCB’s win and credited Krunal for taking wickets at regular intervals. Another user claimed that Ruturaj Gaikwad’s CSK would fear facing Bengaluru’s team this year.