KKR vs RCB, IPL 2025: Fan breaches security, enters field of play to touch Virat Kohli’s feet.
Virat Kohli wowed the entire Eden Gardens as he played a match-winning unbeaten knock of 59 runs to help Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) win the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2025 opener against the defending champions Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR). During the 13th over of RCB’s chase, a pitch invader breached security to meet his idol, Virat Kohli.
Fan breaches security, enters field of play to touch Virat Kohli’s feet. (REUTERS)
Upon entering the field of play, the fan touched Virat Kohli’s feet. However, the security officials quickly removed him.
The on-field officials also urged the fan to leave the pitch. Before leaving, the supporter gave Virat Kohli a tight hug. When the security officials got close to the fan to take him away, Kohli was seen asking to be gentle and not harm the supporter.
It might have been a home game for KKR, but loud ‘RCB RCB’ chants were heard during the opening match of the 18th season of the tournament. The Rajat Patidar-led side didn’t disappoint as the visitors chased down 175 with seven wickets in hand and balls to spare.
Virat Kohli and Phil Salt gave RCB a flying start in the chase as the duo put on over 75 runs inside the powerplay. In his first match for RCB, Phil Salt scored 56 runs off 31 balls. Both Salt and Kohli did not let any KKR bowler to settle and even the mystery spin of Varun Chakaravarthy conceded more than 40 runs in his quota of 4 overs.
The former RCB skipper Kohli complimented Salt very well at the other end. In the fifth over, bowled by Spencer Johnson, Kohli made his intentions clear as he smashed two back-to-back straight sixes. In the end, Kohli scored 59 runs off 36 balls with the help of 4 boundaries and 3 sixes.
Skipper Rajat Patidar also chipped in with a useful cameo of 34 runs off 16 balls, which helped RCB post an astounding victory over KKR. This is RCB’s first victory against KKR since the 2022 edition of the IPL.
Krunal Pandya shines with the ball
Krunal Pandya was the star of the show for RCB with the ball, as he returned with figures of 3/29. At one stage, KKR looked set to breach the 200-run mark, with Sunil Narine and Ajinkya Rahane going hell for leather.
However, Krunal Pandya, Suyash Sharma, Josh Hazlewood and Yash Dayal displayed quality bowling at the death to restrict KKR to a below-par total of 174/8 in the allotted twenty overs.
Ajinkya Rahane, KKR’s skipper, top-scored with a knock of 56. Opening batter Sunil Narine also registered 44 runs with the bat. However, no other batter was able to get going, and hence, RCB managed to restrict KKR to a chaseable total.
KKR will next square off against Rajasthan Royals on Wednesday, March 26. On the other hand, RCB will go up against Chennai Super Kings on Friday, March 28.
