Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) looked set for a big total in the IPL 2025 opener, but a stunning spell from debutant Krunal Pandya helped Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) claw back into the game, restricting KKR to 174/8 in 20 overs at Eden Gardens.

After winning the toss and opting to bowl, RCB found themselves on the back foot early on as KKR captain Ajinkya Rahane led the charge with a fluent 56 off 31 balls. Sunil Narine played his usual aggressive role, smashing 44 off 26, as KKR raced to 107/1 at the halfway mark.

However, the second half of the innings saw a dramatic shift. Krunal Pandya, playing his first match for RCB, delivered a match-changing spell, finishing with 3/29 in 4 overs. His impact was immediate, breaking KKR’s rhythm and triggering a collapse that saw the hosts lose seven wickets for just 67 runs in the last 10 overs.

One of the standout moments came when Krunal bowled a fiery bouncer to Venkatesh Iyer, who wasn’t wearing a helmet. The very next ball, Iyer returned with a helmet but had his stumps shattered, underlining Krunal’s dominance on debut.

Youngster Angkrish Raghuvanshi chipped in with a valuable 30-run cameo, but KKR ultimately fell short of a truly imposing total.

With Eden Gardens known for high-scoring chases, RCB will back themselves to get over the line, but KKR’s bowling attack will look to make it a tough contest.

Brief scores: Kolkata Knight Riders: 174/8 in 20 overs (Ajinkya Rahane 56, Sunil Narine 44, Angkrish Raghuvanshi 30; Krunal Pandya 3/29).