Kolkata: The 18th edition of IPL began with a grand opening ceremony. In the first match, defending champions Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) suffered a defeat against Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB). Powered by Virat Kohli’s unbeaten half-century, RCB secured a 7-wicket victory.
Batting first, KKR posted 174 runs for the loss of 8 wickets. In response, RCB chased down the target in just 16.2 overs, losing 3 wickets. Zunal Patya, who took three wickets and restricted KKR from setting a bigger score, was named the Player of the Match.
Grand Opening Ceremony at Eden Gardens
The Eden Gardens stadium was filled with excitement as renowned singers Ghoshal and pop singer Karan Ahuja performed. The entire event was hosted by Bollywood superstar Shah Rukh Khan, while actress Disha Patani mesmerized the audience with her dance performances on Bollywood and Bengali songs.
IPL-18 Continues
Two matches are scheduled for tomorrow.
In the first match, Rajasthan Royals will take on last year’s runners-up Sunrisers Hyderabad.
The night match will see a clash between arch-rivals Chennai Super Kings and Mumbai Indians.
Match Summary:
KKR: 174/8
RCB: 177/3 (16.2 overs)
Virat Kohli and Salt scored half-centuries for RCB.
Krunal named Player of the Match.
KKR’s Batting Struggles and Strategic Mistakes
KKR’s death-over batting failure and minor tactical errors cost them the match. Despite a century partnership for the second wicket, the team failed to build a big score. The middle and lower-order power hitters Venkatesh Iyer, Andre Russell, and Rinku Singh failed to deliver.
Additionally, KKR’s decision to utilize key spinner Varun Chakravarthy’s four overs within the first 11 overs did not work in their favor, leaving them with fewer bowling options in the later stages.