Match Overview
The game between Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) and Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) on March 22, 2025 was one of the most awaited of the Indian Premier League (IPL) season. Considering the wealth of talent on display and the all important points for grabs, there was enough drama in this high octane clash and the fans did not leave disappointed.
Match Venue and Conditions
Stadium Details
The match was held at the M. Chinnaswamy Stadium, Bengaluru for its iconic and enthusiastic crowd and also, for its high scoring games. The strip favored batsmen, as it was a good batting pitch, though some bowlers with good early control could take adavange of the conditions with some swing and cut.
Weather Forecast
The temperature was just right before the game and throughout, there was no chance of rain. The conditions were perfect for a full game which was delightfully guaranteed when the fans saw how buzzing the teams were to play.
Team Squads
Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB)
RCB’s lineup had superstars like Virat Kohli, Faf du Plessis, and Glenn Maxwell. Also in good form before the match were the squad’s spearheads of bowling, Mohammed Siraj and Wanindu Hasaranga. The mixture of explosive batting and tight bowling was surely going to be a menace to handle.
Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR)
KKR had a terrific roster too with big names such as Shreyas Iyer, Andre Russell, and Sunil Narine. Their bowling unit, made up of Lockie Ferguson and Varun Chakravarthy, possessed the uncanny ability to take important wickets. With such a blend of youth and experience KKR was undoubtely a force to be reckoned with.
Toss and Batting First
The Crucial Toss
The very first step of the match was set off by winning the toss, which RCB won. After some deliberation about their strategy, captain Faf du Plessis decided to bat first as he believed the pitch would worsen as the game went on, setting up an interesting narrative.
RCB’s Innings
RCB started their innings with Faf du Plessis and Virat Kohli at the top of the order and they aimed to create a solid opening stand. Kohli did not struggle one bit and began the innings with superb touch, rotating the strike and hitting a few boundaries. Du Plessis played a supporting role to ensure Kohli was able to get into form.
Key Partnerships
The first wicket fell when du Plessis tried to up the ante and was caught at mid-wicket trying to accelerate the scoring for 35 runs. Kohli unfazed, continued putting his head down to build the innings while constructing a valuable partnership with Glenn Maxwell. Maxwell’s explosive batting gave RCB the upper hand and ensured they were in a position of control.
Middle Order Performance
The players in the middle order all chipped in with useful runs before losing their wickets. Kohli for now, remained the star of the show with a fantastic knock of 86 runs coming off 58 balls, including 10 fours and 2 sixes. He fell short of a century but was oh so close. In the dying overs he was dismissed after a brilliant catch from Chakravarthy.
Final Total
RCB put in a decent performance, ending their innings with a highly competitive score of 186 runs, which under the given conditions was a challenging total.
Answer from KKR
Pursuit of the Target
After deciding the target, KKR started the innings with a conservative approach. Gurbaz and Iyer were the openers but they were careful not to lose too many wickets early on. Gurbaz was dismissed early for 8 runs when Siraj caught him behind.
Shreyas and Andre Russell’s Partnership
Russell’s performance helped Shreyas get a captain’s knock. Their partnership helped stabilize KKR’s chase with Iyer consolidating the innings and Russell counter-attacking. This duo scored a total of 100 runs with Iyer scoring a well played 75 runs and Russell aggressively scoring 56 runs off 34 deliveries.
Shreyas Iyer
RCB’s Wanindu Hasaranga changed the course of KKR’s recovery from collapse in the 15th over with crucial multi-wicket mini break and made a mess of KKR’s middle order. KKR was suddenly losing wickets at a high rate and that strained the innings. Even with the substantial head start, KKR found it all too easy to lose steam.
KKR’s Last Efforts
These runs if achieved within permitted overs only makes for better targets heading into the last 3 overs of the match further intensifying the need to hit boundaries at appropriate times. Russell’s wicket triggered a shift in momentum and the pace set by RCB’s death bowlers took over. The lower order of KKR was scrambling to settle their feet and so it became a nail biting chase in the last few overs.
The Nerve-Racking Conclusion
Last over’s suspenseful drama
When KKR was left with 20 runs in the last two overs, the pressure was palpable and RCB could already picture victory. Mohammed Siraj bowled his overs with the precision of a sharpshooter, restricting the runs and building immense pressure.
Final Over Showdown
KKR’s last run was rather head-spinning until the end. For RCB’s perfect game plan, KKR had to get 12 runs to finish. They surprisingly maintained composure, which led Siraj to wrap up the last batters wiith KKR’s AJK losing to the bowler. When RCB took the final wicket which won them the match, the whole stadium erupted into cheers.
Post-Event Analysis
The match was won by RCB, bringing the current score to a jaw clenching 5 runs. The winning suspense brings joy to the RCB fans and ensures they will compete for the playoffs. Kohli and the bowling crew with Siraj and Hasaranga leading the charge also made strong cases for Defining team victory which caused RCB to celebrate their hard fought win.
