RCB’s openers, Virat Kohli and Phil Salt, set Eden Gardens ablaze, smashing a jaw-dropping 80 runs in the Powerplay on a batting-friendly pitch. Their explosive firepower left KKR bowlers helpless as they unleashed a flurry of boundaries and sixes. Salt’s brutal onslaught and Kohli’s masterful strokeplay made the chase look effortless, with RCB racing towards victory in a sensational, no-holds-barred assault that had the crowd roaring and KKR reeling.
In a thrilling display of raw power and precision, Royal Challengers Bengaluru stormed to victory in the IPL-18 season opener, leaving defending champions Kolkata Knight Riders in their wake. The Eden Gardens crowd, swarming with electric energy, witnessed an unforgettable assault led by Phil Salt and the legendary Virat Kohli, as RCB chased down KKR’s 174 with ease, securing a seven-wicket triumph.
From the outset, RCB’s openers set the stage on fire. The crowd erupted into deafening chants of ‘RCB, RCB’ as Salt and Kohli unleashed a flurry of runs. Salt, with his trademark aggression, hammered his way to 56 off 31 balls, with a series of brutal drives and delicate cuts that sent the KKR bowlers reeling. His blistering 25-ball fifty was a spectacle, a display of pure batting power.
Kohli, as ever, was the epitome of elegance and dominance, calmly smacking Spencer Johnson for back-to-back sixes and accumulating four scorching boundaries off Vaibhav Arora. Despite a brief interruption in the 95-run partnership with Salt, Kohli’s control and flair led RCB home, his 59 not out proving the finishing touch.
Earlier, KKR’s spirited fightback, led by Rahane’s 56 and Narine’s 44, looked promising but proved insufficient. RCB’s bowlers tightened the noose, with Hazlewood and Pandya playing key roles. It was a flawless opening, one that promised a thrilling season ahead.
