Virat Kohli stars as Bengaluru cruise to big opening victory

Virat Kohli delivered a match-winning unbeaten 69 to guide Royal Challengers Bengaluru to a comfortable six-wicket victory over Sunrisers Hyderabad in the IPL season opener on Saturday.

Before the match at the M. Chinnaswamy Stadium, a solemn tribute was held for the 11 fans who lost their lives in a stampede last year. Eleven empty seats were reserved in their memory, players wore black armbands, and a minute’s silence was observed.

Chasing a challenging target of 202, Bengaluru made light work of the total, reaching it in just 15.4 overs. Kohli led from the front with a 38-ball knock featuring five boundaries and five sixes, anchoring the innings with authority.

Earlier, Hyderabad posted 201-9 after being asked to bat first, with stand-in captain Ishan Kishan leading the charge with a rapid 80 off 38 balls. He shared a crucial 97-run stand with Heinrich Klaasen, who added 31.

New Zealand pacer Jacob Duffy made an immediate impact on debut for Bengaluru, picking up 3-22 and removing key top-order batters early.

In reply, Bengaluru lost Phil Salt cheaply, but impact substitute Devdutt Padikkal counterattacked with a brisk 61 off 26 balls. His 101-run partnership with Kohli put the chase firmly on track.

Kohli sealed the victory in style, finishing the game with a flurry of boundaries to give Bengaluru a commanding start to their title defence.