A pitch invader fell on Virat Kohli's feet when he was batting at the Eden Gardens in Kolkata during the IPL 2025 opener. The Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) faced Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) in the opener on Saturday. A video of the incident surfaced on social media as the ground authorities rushed on to the pitch and dragged him away.
The former Royal Challengers' skipper had an outstanding Champions Trophy 2025 campaign in which he registered 218 runs, helping Indian win. Considering his form, he had generated plenty of buzz, forcing fans to flock outside the stadium long before the match started. The iconic venue of the Eden Gardens was also housefull on the opening night of the 18th season of the lucrative T20 league.
It is also not the first time that a pitch invader has greeted the Delhi-born cricketer in the middle of a game.
Watch the incident below of the fan in Kolkata running in to touch Virat Kohli's feet:
The night at the Eden Gardens started with the opening ceremony. Bollywood superstar and Knight Riders' owner Shah Rukh Khan introduced the star batter by calling him the 'King of the 22 Yards'. The duo also grooved to the song 'Jhoome jo Pathaan' after Shah Rukh invited him onto the stage.
Virat Kohli stays unbeaten on 59 as Royal Challengers Bengaluru thwart Kolkata Knight Riders

Meanwhile, the Royal Challengers began their season on a winning note by seven wickets over the defending champions. Newly-appointed skipper Rajat Patidar had won the toss and opted to bowl first, citing the playing surface as a decent one. Although Ajinkya Rahane (56) and Sunil Narine (44) had stitched a 103-run partnership, there was little contribution of note from the other KKR batters.
Krunal Pandya and Josh Hazlewood shared five wickets between them in eight overs only for 51 runs as the Royal Challengers restricted the opposition to 174. Later, Kohli and Phil Salt broke the back of the run-chase with a 95-run opening stand. Salt departed after 56 but the Indian star remained unbeaten in the end as Bengaluru won by seven wickets.
Get real-time updates on IPL 2025, including live scores, match schedules, points table & squad details for CSK, MI, RCB, KKR, SRH, LSG, DC, GT & PBKS