Virat Kohli captivated the audience at Eden Gardens with an impressive unbeaten innings of 59 runs, leading the Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) to victory in the 2025 Indian Premier League (IPL) opener against the reigning champions, Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR). During the 13th over of RCB's innings, a fan managed to breach security to approach his idol, Virat Kohli.

Once on the field, the fan paid his respects by touching Kohli's feet, but security personnel swiftly intervened to escort him away.

The on-field officials also requested the fan to exit the pitch. Before departing, the supporter embraced Virat Kohli warmly. As security approached to remove the fan, Kohli was observed requesting them to handle the situation gently and ensure the fan's safety.

Although it was a home match for KKR, the atmosphere was dominated by enthusiastic 'RCB RCB' chants during the opening game of the tournament's 18th season. The team led by Rajat Patidar did not disappoint, successfully chasing down a target of 175 runs with seven wickets remaining and several balls to spare.

Virat Kohli and Phil Salt provided RCB with a strong start in their pursuit, accumulating over 75 runs during the powerplay. In his debut match for RCB, Phil Salt scored an impressive 56 runs off just 31 balls. Both players maintained relentless pressure on the KKR bowlers, with even the enigmatic spin of Varun Chakaravarthy conceding over 40 runs in his four overs.

Former RCB captain Kohli effectively supported Salt from the other end. In the fifth over, bowled by Spencer Johnson, Kohli made his aggressive intent clear by hitting two consecutive sixes straight down the ground. Ultimately, Kohli finished with 59 runs off 36 balls, including four boundaries and three sixes.

Captain Rajat Patidar also contributed significantly with a brisk 34 runs off 16 balls, aiding RCB in achieving a remarkable victory over KKR. This win marks RCB's first triumph against KKR since the 2022 IPL season.

Krunal Pandya shines with the ball

Krunal Pandya emerged as the standout performer for RCB with the ball, achieving impressive figures of 3/29. At one point, KKR appeared poised to surpass the 200-run threshold, driven by aggressive batting from Sunil Narine and Ajinkya Rahane.

Nevertheless, Krunal Pandya, along with Suyash Sharma, Josh Hazlewood, and Yash Dayal, executed exceptional bowling in the final overs, limiting KKR to a subpar total of 174/8 within the designated twenty overs.

Ajinkya Rahane, the captain of KKR, was the top scorer with a contribution of 56 runs, while opening batsman Sunil Narine added 44 runs. However, the rest of the batting lineup struggled to make significant contributions, allowing RCB to keep KKR's total within a manageable range.

KKR's next match will be against the Rajasthan Royals on Wednesday, March 26, while RCB is set to face the Chennai Super Kings on Friday, March 28.

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