 "KKR vs RCB: What happened when the two teams last met in IPL opening match?")
On April 18, 2008, the landscape of Indian cricket changed completely, as it was the day when India’s most viewed franchise-based cricket tournament, the Indian Premier League, kickstarted at Bengaluru’s Chinnaswamy Stadium. The two teams that took centre stage on that day were Kolkata Knight Riders and Royal Challengers Bengaluru. Now, after 18 years, the same teams are gearing up to kickstart IPL 2025 with the tournament opener at Eden Gardens.
Both teams have entirely different stories since the last time they met in the opening game of an edition, as in the last 18 years, KKR have won the title thrice, including IPL 2024, while RCB are still searching for their first title. So before the two sides take the field today for the first game of IPL 2025, let us take a look at how things unfolded when the two teams last met in the IPL opening match.
KKR vs RCB (IPL 2008 opening match): McCullum set the stage on fire
The first ever match of IPL 2008 was immortalised by New Zealand star Brendon McCullum, who ripped apart the RCB bowling line-up in that match to score the then highest score by any batter in T20 cricket.
In the match, RCB won the toss and elected to bowl first. KKR got off to a spectacular start as they added 61 runs for the first wicket before Zaheer Khan removed Sourav Ganguly (10) to pick the first wicket in IPL’s history. Ricky Ponting (20) and David Hussey (12) were the next two batters to depart for KKR. Meanwhile, Brendon McCullum kept the onslaught going as he struck 13 sixes and 10 boundaries in his 73-ball innings to end up with an unbeaten 158, taking his team’s total to 222 for 3 at the end of 20 overs.
In reply, RCB’s innings never took off as they kept losing wickets at regular intervals. KKR’s bowlers were so dominant that extras (19) were the top scorer for the Bengaluru-based franchise, while Praveen Kumar (18) was the only batter who crossed the double-digit mark, as RCB were eventually bundled out for just 82 to hand KKR an easy 140-run win.
Check the full highlights of the match here:
KKR vs RCB: A glimpse of their long rivalry
The rivalry between Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) and Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) has gradually become one of the most exciting yet underrated matchups in the IPL. Similar to the iconic clashes like CSK vs MI, CSK vs RCB, and MI vs RCB, this fixture has a history of delivering thrilling, last-over finishes. On ten occasions, the chasing team has snatched victory in the final over, while three matches saw the team batting first win by a margin of fewer than ten runs. In a nail-biting encounter last season, KKR edged past RCB with a narrow 1-run victory in Kolkata.
This rivalry also holds a memorable — albeit unfortunate — record for RCB, as they were bowled out for just 49 runs against KKR in IPL 2017, the lowest team total in IPL history. Up until IPL 2020, the contest between these two sides was closely fought. However, since then, KKR have dominated, winning six of the last eight matches, including the last four consecutive encounters.
Overall, in their 34 meetings in the IPL, KKR have emerged victorious 20 times, while RCB have managed 14 wins. With the two teams set to face off again in IPL 2025, fans can expect another thrilling chapter in this compelling rivalry.