5 best batting performances by an RCB player vs KKR ahead of IPL 2025 opener ft. Virat Kohli

Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) will play Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) in the opening fixture of the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2025 season. The two teams will clash on Saturday, March 22, at the Eden Gardens in Kolkata.

Kolkata Knight Riders are the defending champions, having beaten Sunrisers Hyderabad in the final last year. On the other hand, RCB made it to the playoffs after finishing fourth in the league stage. However, they lost the eliminator and crashed out of the tournament.

As the two teams gear up for the opening clash of the IPL 2025 season, let us take a look at the five best batting performances by RCB batters against KKR.

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5 best batting performances by an RCB player vs KKR

#5 Virat Kohli (84 off 49), 2019

Star batter Virat Kohli struck a valiant half-century against KKR during their clash in Bengaluru in 2019. Batting first, RCB posted a total of 205/3 on the board. Kohli top-scored for the team with 84 runs off just 49 balls, including nine fours and two sixes at a strike-rate of 171.42.

Unfortunately for the hosts, they failed to defend the target as KKR won the game by five wickets and as many deliveries to spare.

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#4 AB de Villiers (63 off 32), 2019

Former RCB batter AB de Villiers slammed a quick-fire half-century in the aforementioned game against KKR in Bengaluru in 2019. De Villiers was involved in a crucial partnership with Kohli as the duo took the hosts past the 200-run mark.

AB de Villiers smashed 63 runs off just 32 deliveries, hitting five fours and four maximums in his knock. However, just like Kohli, his knock also went in vain as KKR chased down the target successfully.

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#3 Virat Kohli (100 off 58), 2019

In the away fixture in the 2019 IPL season, Virat Kohli once again delivered for RCB against KKR, and this time around it was in a winning cause. They once again batted first in Kolkata and put up a total of 213/4 on the board.

Kohli led from the front with a brilliant hundred, scoring 100 off just 58 balls. In his knock, he hit nine fours and four sixes. This time around, they managed to defend the total and won by ten runs as Kohli was named Player of the Match.

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#2 Moeen Ali (66 off 28), 2019

In the same game in 2019 in Kolkata, former RCB all-rounder Moeen Ali took the KKR bowlers to the cleaners, smashing them all over the park with no mercy. The left-hander came out all guns blazing with his terrific cameo that pushed the score.

Moeen Ali smacked 66 runs off only 28 deliveries, clubbing five fours and six maximums at a whopping strike-rate of 235.71. It is one of the best knocks in the IPL by a Bengaluru batter against KKR.

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#1 Chris Gayle (102* off 55), 2011

Former RCB star Chris Gayle slammed a special hundred for the franchise against KKR in the 2011 IPL season. It was also his first century in the IPL. KKR posted 171/5 after batting first.

It was a one-sided chase as Bengaluru comfortably got over the line with nine wickets to spare. Chris Gayle was the star of show with an unbeaten hundred, scoring 102 not out off 55 balls, hitting ten fours and seven sixes at a strike-rate of 185.45.

This was also a special knock as Gayle played for KKR in 2010 but was released by them. He went unsold in the 2011 auction but joined RCB later as a replacement and slammed his first IPL hundred against Kolkata.