KOLKATA: Royal Challengers Bengaluru made an auspicious start in their latest bid to lift a maiden Indian Premier League trophy as Virat Kohli and Phil Salt ensured a seven-wicket win over holders Kolkata Knight Riders in Saturday’s season opener.
Chasing 175 for victory, the three-times runners-up rode Kohli’s unbeaten 59 and former Kolkata batter Salt’s blistering 56 at the top of the innings to comfortably reach their target in 16.2 overs.
Bengaluru’s ever-present talisman Kohli, playing in his 18th IPL campaign and 400th Twenty20 match overall, continued to heap pressure on the Kolkata bowlers with new skipper Rajat Patidar (34) before Liam Livingstone (15 not out) hit the winning runs.
Salt said he was most pleased by his 95-run partnership with Kohli which set the tone for the victory.
“We haven’t batted much together, Virat and I, so to go out and put a partnership together was the most important thing for us in game one,” Salt added.
“It’s a ground I know very well. I had a clear and simple game plan and I would have liked to go on a bit longer, but it wasn’t to be.”
Earlier, seamer Josh Hazlewood (2-22) marked his return from a hip injury that forced him out of Australia’s Champions Trophy campaign by taking the wicket of Quinton de Kock in the opening over after Bengaluru won the toss and opted to bowl.
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The pre-match threat of thunderstorms failed to materialise but it rained fours and sixes at Eden Gardens thereafter as Kolkata looked to be on a mission to become the first team in the league’s history to breach the 300-run barrier.
Veteran batsman Ajinkya Rahane led the way as Kolkata’s new captain with brutal ball-striking in his 31-ball 56 and although his dismissal along with that of Sunil Narine for 44 stalled the home side, they still had plenty of firepower left.
However, a couple of wickets in quick succession through Krunal Pandya (3-29) as the ball began to grip the surface meant that the hosts ultimately ended up with a below-par 174-8 thanks to youngster Angkrish Raghuvanshi’s 30.
“We have to learn from our mistakes,” said Rahane.
“We have the batting power to go out and express ourselves. We tried our best but it didn’t work out today.
“We thought that 210-220 on this wicket would be achievable, but two to three wickets in the middle overs changed the momentum.”
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