Kolkata Knight Riders vs Royal Challengers Bengaluru, 1st Match - Live Cricket Score, Commentary

So the Rajat Patidar era at RCB begins with a bang. Not so much the Ajinkya Rahane one at KKR. The 2025 season of the IPL is underway and we will have matches every day from now on for the next two months. This is your platform for all your cricketing fix. Tomorrow is a double-header and we will be there nice and early for those games. Do join us then. For now this is it from here. Have a great night and sleep tight!

Krunal Pandya | Player of the Match: When you play against so much crowd, I had to narrow down my focus. If I get hit I had to get hit off a good ball, glad that I could deliver. You have to go with the flow, how cricket is evolving. Batters have the skill-set to hit sixes consistently. You also have to up your game, have to make sure I bowl quicker. Change of pace is associated with pacers but also I tried it. (on his bouncer) Now Jitesh knows what I will do, if it's a wide yorker or a bouncer, if you have something in your armoury, why not use it. (on playing for RCB) It's been amazing, when I got into the team, I realised how much madness there is. The crowd support you get, even in domestic cricket, there also people are chanting RCB. It's been 10 days since I have joined and it's been pretty good.

Rajat Patidar: There was pressure, but it was a good day for me. If we keep winning like this, it will be a good day. It was pretty clear for me - I don't mind Suyash giving runs, he was our main wicket-taking bowler, so I backed him. (on Krunal and Suyash) All credit goes to both the bowlers, from 13 overs, they showed courage and determination. The mindset of taking wickets was really amazing. (on Kohli) It's really great when you have a player like him, it's a great opportunity for me to learn from one of the great players of the game. (on his shot off Harshit over backward point) That was pre-determined shot, I was going over covers, the ball nipped back and it went automatically.

Most balls remaining in successful chases of 175 or more for RCB
24 vs GT, Ahmedabad, 2024 (target: 201)
22 vs KKR, Kolkata, 2025 (target: 175)
21 vs RR, Mumbai WS, 2021 (target: 178)
12 vs DC, Bengaluru, 2018 (target: 175)

RCB had lost all four games against KKR across the last two editions, six out of seven since the IPL 2021 second leg.

Phil Salt: Probably the partnership (talking about the most pleasing thing with the bat), we (Kohli and I) haven't batted much together and to go out there and put a partnership was really pleasing. It is a ground I know and I know these guys (KKR) very well. Yes, it did (the ball came on nicely in the second innings) and you just needed to stand still and hit the ball, it does make a difference. That is what we spoke about as a batting group, very pleased with the outcome. Had a great time here last year and won the trophy. Obviously there are no friends out there (in this league).

Ajinkya Rahane: I thought we were going well till the 13th over but 2-3 wickets changed the momentum. Batters that followed tried their best but didn't workout. When myself and Venky were batting we were discussing that 200-210 was achievable but those wickets changed the momentum. Little bit of dew was there but they had a very good powerplay with the bat. It (total) was under par. We were looking for 200+. We don't want to think too much about this game but at the same time just try and get better in certain areas.

22:47 Local Time, 17:17 GMT, 22:47 IST: A statement win from RCB. They have smashed KKR away. Kohli chats with Harshit Rana as he walks back. Kohli is gesturing and suggesting what happened to his back and why he was grimacing. Coming back to the chase, the openers set it up as Salt and Kohli went hard in the powerplay. Especially the former and they took down Varun for 21 in his first over in the powerplay which set alarm bells ringing for KKR. After the powerplay RCB were 80/0 and even after Salt went, Kohli was in no mood to give it away. Padikkal did not make many but skipper Patidar came out and smashed a 16-ball 34 to all but put the game beyond doubt. A win with 22 balls to spare and that is a massive one in this format. Will boost RCB's NRR already even though this is just the first game for both sides. The dew coming down did not help KKR too but they were well short despite that. A score of 200 seems to be the minimum here. Stay tuned for the post-match stuff...

Spencer Johnson to Livingstone, FOUR, emphatic win for RCB. They have hammered KKR in their own den. Full outside off, Livingstone again shuffles across and drags this wide of mid-on and it's a boundary to end things

Rana has a word with Spencer Johnson.

Spencer Johnson to Livingstone, SIX, Livingstone is in a mood to kill this game almost immediately. He shuffles across and gets under this short ball, pulls and the thick top-edge helps, flies over the RCB dugout

Spencer Johnson [2.0-0-21-0] is back into the attack

After 15.1, Kohli was seen clutching his back. But nothing serious as he continues to bat.

Vaibhav Arora to Livingstone, 1 run, length delivery outside off, Livingstone punches square of the wicket on the off-side for one

Vaibhav Arora to Livingstone, no run, slower-ball on a length outside off, Livingstone aims for a big mow across, the under-edge rolls to the keeper

Vaibhav Arora to Livingstone, FOUR, Livingstone is off the mark with a boundary. He sports a smile as he goes to Kohli. Dragged down on middle, Livingstone pulls to the deep backward square-leg fence

Liam Livingstone, right handed bat, comes to the crease

Vaibhav Arora to Rajat Patidar, out Caught by Rinku Singh!! Rajat Patidar holes out. It's a slower-ball leg-cutter on a length on middle, Patidar hits it flat and picks out Rinku to perfection at deep mid-wicket. But Patidar has done his job. Timeout as well. Rajat Patidar c Rinku Singh b Vaibhav Arora 34(16) [4s-5 6s-1]

Vaibhav Arora to Rajat Patidar, THATS OUT!! Caught!!

Vaibhav Arora to Rajat Patidar, FOUR, one bounce over the ropes at deep backward square-leg. It's short of length and on middle, Rajat Patidar helps it along

Vaibhav Arora to Kohli, 1 run, length delivery and angling into off, Kohli gets forward to push towards mid-off and takes one