Right then. That's all we have from this game, but the action in the 16th season of the Indian Premier League is only getting started. Tomorrow, it's the Chennai Super Kings who head back to their home ground to take on the Lucknow Super Giants. Will it be another homecoming to remember as the Thala and his side return to Chepauk? Tune in tomorrow, to find out. For now, this is Pratyush Rohra, signing off on behalf of my friend, Soorya Sesha. Goodnight! 

He's surely aging like fine wine is Faf du Plessis. Still diving around on the park and still scoring all those runs. He's got plenty in the tank and he'll want all of it to come to the fore this season for the Royal Challengers, who have got off to a clinical start for the season. They're playing a good part of their games this month at home and they'd want to make it count and make winning a habit. A performance like this is bound to help ahead of their next game, as they travel to the Eden Gardens to play the Kolkata Knight Riders on April 6. As for the Mumbai Indians, they've failed to open their account at the first time of asking yet again but will hope for a happy homecoming of their own as they head back to the Wankhede Stadium. They next play arch-rivals Chennai Super Kings on April 8 and that surely ought to be a mouth-watering tussle alright!

Faf du Plessis is the Player of the Match. Here's what the RCB captain has to say: It was nice for us to start the way we did in the powerplay. Siraj with his tail up is beautiful, isn't it? He's been brilliant for India and he set the tone early on and the rest of the bowlers stuck with it. The last couple of overs wasn't great, something to learn there. (Batting) How to chase? That's the perfect example. It doesn't get better. (Pitch) The cutters were working well. If you got into good positions, there was value for shots. Even the spinners had something. So, great credit to the groundsmen. It's my first time playing here as a home player. The atmosphere is electric, especially when you're batting with Virat Kohli. The energy from him and from the crowd was surreal. (Fitness) You have to stay up with the youngsters. It's important for me to stay fit and play as much cricket as possible. The confidence to start a campaign. All of us are confidence players, aren't we? It will be huge for us to get that confidence going. We have different scoring areas, so that opens up a lot for us and give us confidence.

Virat Kohli (Royal Challengers Bangalore): I thought it was a phenomenal win. Homecoming after four years I don't think we could have asked for a better game. I thought we were pretty balanced throughout the game. We bowled really well until the 18th over. Just the last couple of overs it slipped away with the ball but credit to them; especially Tilak I thought batted really well. Faf and I took turns to attack. We wanted to finish it with enough balls to spare to help our net run-rate. The new ball was a bit tricky but because we took them down with the new ball, that's how it shifted momentum back in our favor. The way we both started I think we nullified all the intensity that they were going to bring onto the field. We kept putting pressure on the bowlers which was pretty crucial. Phenomenal - it was a packed crowd. Every seat was full when you walked in here. We knew we were going to get a lot of support when we walked in here. This crowd, we ride on their support and intensity. When me and Faf were going they were cheering for us and it made a massive difference. I think it was a phenomenal spell from him. He was bowling so well for us last year, unfortunately he could not get a game. Even in the nets here he was not getting hit for sixes. His couple of wickets put us on the front foot in the game. Hats off to him for coming out and performing like that against Mumbai Indians in the first game of the season. I've wanted to mention this for a while - apart from Mumbai winning it five times and Chennai winning it four times, we are the third team to have qualified most number of times. We've made eight playoffs. We've played consistent cricket. For us it's about playing our best cricket on the field. It's a good beginning. It's a big tournament so we don't want to look too far ahead.

Rohit Sharma (Mumbai Indians captain): Obviously didn't have a great start with the bat in the first six overs but I thought it was a good effort towards the end from Tilak especially and few of the other batters. To get to 170 was a great effort but we didn't turn up with the ball and execute. These things happen. First game of the season, we need to get those things right. I feel we didn't bat well enough to get enough runs. (On Tilak) He's a very positive person. Some of the shots he played today for the first game of the season, he showed a lot of courage. And that's what we spoke about - we wanted to be courageous enough in the middle. We didn't start well enough and were catching up in the middle. Hats off to Tilak. If you look at the pitch, it was good to bat on. We didn't set any target as such but we didn't even bat to half of our potential and we got to 170. Probably 30 or 40 more would have been ideal. We were struggling to play that catch-up game but Tilak was magnificent. From the last six to eight months I am used to playing without Jasprit Bumrah. Of course this is a different setup but someone needs to put their hand up and step up. We can't keep dwelling on it. Injuries are not in our control, we can't do much about it. The other guys in the setup are quite talented as well. We need to give them that support. Just the first game of the season, there's a lot to look forward to.

Royal Challengers Bangalore won by 8 wickets!

Virat Kohli - 82 (49) | Karn Sharma - 2/32
Tilak Varma - 84 (46) | Arshad Khan - 1/28

It's a comprehensive start from the Royal Challengers Bangalore, kicking off their campaign with a win as they return to their home ground. What a way to mark that return too and the crowd at the Chinnaswamy didn't disappoint either. Taking nothing away from Karn Sharma and the other RCB bowler, but it was a below-par performance with the bat for MI that handed the hosts the initiative.

Tilak Varma deserves a special mention in that first innings, but the spotlight at the end of the day went to one man and one man only. Back at his spiritual home ground, Virat Kohli was determined to put on a show alongside Faf du Plessis to make sure their side picks up the two points. The two openers asserted themselves early and never gave the Mumbai bowlers a sniff.

Half-centuries from the two set the tone for them in the middle and by the time Mumbai managed to bag their first breakthrough, it was too late. The chase master took control, like he so often does, and made sure his side get over the finish line with a handy cameo from Maxwell to make it a complete outing for the Royal Challengers Bangalore.

So, they're off the mark with two points this year. Nothing new for the Mumbai Indians as they lose their first game. Still a long way to go in this tournament, so neither side will want to look too far ahead already. Stick around for what the captains have to say.

Oh, the night of April 2nd. Kohli finishes things off in style with a hit down the ground. Ee sala cup namde? Is the going to be the year that RCB finally end the 15-year wait? If that start is anything to go by, it might be.

16.2 Arshad Khan to Virat Kohli, SIX! GAME, SET AND MATCH! The King makes it a happy homecoming for RCB as he wraps it up in grand fashion. Length delivery on the fuller side around the off stump. He comes forward a touch and just pumps it over the straight long on fence to draw the curtains down on this contest. A thoroughly clinical run chase as Royal Challengers Bangalore kickstart their IPL 2023 campaign with an 8-wicket win!

16.2 Arshad Khan to Virat Kohli, WIDE! Bouncer outside the off stump. Too high though as it lobs over Kohli's head with him wisely deciding against a shot

16.1 Arshad Khan to Virat Kohli, FOUR! Too easy for the King! Good length delivery on the pads and out comes a whip off the hips. Placed well to the left of short fine leg as it races away to the fence

The crowd have certainly got their money's worth today. They've seen a stellar opening partnership with Kohli and du Plessis, and are now enjoying the finishing touches from Maxwell. The atmosphere the crowds have generated deserves some appreciation too. They've cheered on every run.

15.6 Cameron Green to Glenn Maxwell, TOP EDGED! SIX! Sums up the day for both these sides! Sharp bumper at the stumps as Maxwell backs away and brings out a forearm swat. Gets high on the top-edge as it balloons well over the reach of long leg for half-a-dozen

15.5 Cameron Green to Glenn Maxwell, SIX! WOW! That's the power this man possesses. Banged in short with room outside the off stump. Maxwell clears his front leg and reaches for it to cart it up and over the covers as it sails the full distance

15.4 Cameron Green to Glenn Maxwell, digs a short one into the surface at the stumps as Maxwell backs away. He swats it off the cue-end as it lobs in front of mid-on

And now it's Cameron Green who opens his account with the ball in the IPL.