Josh Hazlewood Strikes Early: RCB's First Wicket of IPL 2025 Stuns Eden Gardens:

Royal Challengers Bengaluru’s Hazlewood completed the first wicket for the IPL 2025 season after taking down KKR opener Quinton de Kock’s wicket during RCB’s opening game against KKR at Eden Gardens on Saturday.

De Kock was dismissed as a catch behind by Jitesh Sharma off the Aussie’s delivery during the very first over of the 18th installment of the wealthy T20 franchise league competition.

RCB’s new captain Rajat Patidar chose KKR to bat first, and the host looked in good form with de Kock smashing one straight to the boundary off Hazlewood’s second delivery of the game.

RCB let the South African off the hook as he was dropped on the very next ball when former KKR spinner Suyash Sharma got underneath it and outstretched his hands.

Suyash felt relieved when Jitesh sprang to his right to make this incredible catch behind the wicket to dismiss the flamboyant Protean opener.

Before the season opener began, there was an opening ceremony which had Shah Rukh Khan, owner of KKR and a bollywood superstar, who allowed the packed stadium to be entertained by Shreya Ghoshal, Disha Patani, and Punjabi rapper Karan Aujla.

He later had a discussion with RCB player Virat Kohli and KKR youngster Rinku Singh, and then as the crowd was seeking his attention, he started to dance along with the players to some of his hit Bollywood songs.

To wind up the ceremony, the BCCI office bearers went to the middle to the stage where they cut a cake celebrating the 18 years of IPL, the national anthem was played in the background and as it finished, all of Eden gardens were present for the opening of the tournament.