As the Indian Premier League (IPL) enters its 18th season today, March 22, 2025, fans are set to witness a nostalgic showdown between Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) and Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) in the season opener at Eden Gardens. This matchup carries special significance as it revives the historic clash that launched the IPL back in 2008, when the two teams faced off in the tournament’s very first match.
IPL 2008: A night that changed cricket
On April 18, 2008, cricket entered a new era with the inaugural IPL match between RCB and KKR at the M. Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bengaluru. RCB skipper Rahul Dravid won the toss and opted to bowl first, setting the stage for what would become a legendary performance.
Brendon McCullum, opening the innings for KKR alongside Sourav Ganguly, delivered an unforgettable knock. The New Zealand batter smashed an unbeaten 158 off 73 balls, including 10 fours and 13 sixes, propelling KKR to a massive total of 222/3 in 20 overs. His innings remains the highest individual score by a KKR player to date and was the highest in IPL history until Chris Gayle’s 175* in 2013.
RCB, overwhelmed by the pressure, collapsed to 82 all out, handing KKR a comprehensive 140-run win in the first-ever IPL match. The emphatic win not only set the tone for KKR but also for the IPL’s future success.
A lasting impact on cricket
McCullum’s explosive innings is widely credited for shaping the aggressive, fearless brand of cricket that the IPL has come to represent. His knock played a crucial role in capturing the imagination of fans and helped build the league into what it is today — the world’s second most valuable sports league after the NFL.
As KKR and RCB prepare to clash again in the IPL 2025 opener, memories of that electric night in 2008 continue to live on, reminding fans of the moment that truly launched the IPL phenomenon.
