OTD 2008: Brendon McCullum's iconic 158 kickstarted the IPL era

OTD 2008 - Brendon McCullum’s iconic 158 kickstarted the IPL era (Photo Source: Twitter)

The renowned (IPL) is one of the most successful franchise tournaments today. Currently, the league is witnessing its 18th season, also known as IPL 2025. Since its inception, the IPL has produced many historic moments that have thrilled both fans and cricket experts alike. As we move forward, it is time to celebrate the date of April 18 — the day when the tournament first captured the attention of fans back in 2008 during its inaugural game.

The inaugural match of the IPL  took place between the Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) and the Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) at the M. Chinnaswamy Stadium. It was the Bengaluru franchise that won the toss and elected to field first, only to face the onslaught from Brendon McCullum, who single-handedly took his team to a massive total of 222 runs. He launched a relentless attack on the RCB bowlers right from the start. This immediately put pressure on the home side, led by , who faced a daunting task in chasing down the total.

Though Chinnaswamy is known to be a great ground for chasing totals, this was one of those days when the team batting second was never in the game. The Kolkata bowlers completely dominated the RCB batters, who were eventually bowled out for just 82 runs, losing the game by a massive margin of 140 runs. Ashok Dinda and Ishant Sharma were the standout bowlers for KKR.

Check out the historic knock of Brendon McCullum here:

🗓️ 𝙏𝙝𝙞𝙨 𝘿𝙖𝙮 𝙏𝙝𝙖𝙩 𝙔𝙚𝙖𝙧

An iconic knock that marked the beginning of an era!

Let's refresh memories of the first-ever match of #TATAIPL ⏪ pic.twitter.com/EnhERqpZ2c

— IndianPremierLeague (@IPL) April 18, 2024

McCullum’s carnage changed T20 forever

Though this was a one-sided affair where the Kolkata franchise thrashed the Men in Red, the innings played by ensured that fans never left their seats. McCullum scored 158 runs off just 73 deliveries, which included 10 fours and 13 sixes, finishing with a strike rate of 216.43. His fearless style and flair entertained everyone.

This was the innings that introduced fans to T20 franchise cricket and marked the beginning of one of the biggest global tournaments. The score of 158 remains one of the highest individual scores in the tournament's history, and as we mark the 18th anniversary of this incredible match, it reminds us of how the hype for T20 cricket began.