Picture Credit: BCCI/IPL
On Saturday, March 22, defending champions Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) kickstarted their IPL 2025 campaign, as they hosted Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) at the Eden Gardens in Kolkata. For the unversed, RCB skipper Rajat Patidar had won the toss and elected to field first. As a result, the hosts were put to add the score first on the board.
The defending champions made the most of the opportunity with Sunil Narine hitting the RCB bowlers all over the park. Although, the side lost Quinton de Kock early, who departed after scoring only four runs off five deliveries, Narine was joined by the KKR skipper Ajinkya Rahane, who went upto score a 31-ball 56.
Ajinkya Rahane leads from the front; hit 25-ball 50 in maiden match as KKR skipper
Coming out to bat when the scoreboard read 4/1, Rahane got to his maiden fifty of the season off 25 deliveries. With Suyash Sharma coming out to bowl his second over, he bowled a low full toss which went for a wide. On the next delivery, Rahane, powered the ball for a maximum into the mid-wicket orbit to bring up his maiden fifty on debut as KKR skipper.
Watch video of Rahane’s sensational fifty in KKR vs RCB:
In the very next over, Rahane stitched a 100-run partnership with Narine before the West Indies all-rounder was bundled out with Jitesh Sharma completing a fine catch off Rasik Salam’s delivery. In the 11th over, Rahane’s stay was also cut short as Krunal Pandya dismissed the set-batter with Rasik Salam completing a catch.
