Star India batter Virat Kohli caught all the headlines after a pitch invader was seen running to him and falling to his feet in the clash against KKR.
The season opener of the IPL (Indian Premier League) 2025 saw Kolkata Knight Riders lock horns with Royal Challengers Bengaluru. Both sides faced off at the Eden Gardens in Kolkata on March 22, and they managed to put in an excellent showing and register a win against KKR.
One of the biggest highlights, however, came during the second innings of the game. Limiting KKR to a score of 174 runs in the first innings of the game, Bengaluru went on to chase down the target comfortably. However, the moment which grabbed the headline was a fan who breached the security and ran up to Virat Kohli in the second innings.
The pitch invader ran straight towards Kohli and fell to the ace batter’s feet, showcasing his love and support for the veteran batter. It is worth noting that Kohli was exceptional throughout the second innings of the game against KKR.
Opening the innings for RCB, Kohli went on to score 59* runs in 36 deliveries. His knock helped the side register an emphatic win, winning the game by seven wickets. Interestingly, it was Rajat Patidar’s first game as RCB captain, and the star batter got off to a brilliant start as skipper. He even played a brilliant knock in the second innings, helping his side to a win.
After the game, Patidar took centre stage and talked about his side’s performance against KKR. “There was pressure, of course, but it was a good day for me. Hope for more such days. (Bringing back Suyash for the fourth over) It was clear we wanted Russell’s wicket, him conceding runs didn’t matter. He is our strike bowler, we backed him. All credit goes to Krunal and Suyash, they were 130 off, the bowlers showed courage and determination. Feels great to captain Kohli, he supports a lot, great opportunity to learn from one of the best. (On the shot on 14.6 – a lifted square drive off a length ball) It was a pre-determined shot, I wanted to go over cover,” Patidar said in the post-match presentation ceremony.
