Knight Riders and Royal Challengers Bengaluru are set to face off in the opening match of IPL 2025 at Eden Gardens on Saturday. KKR will enter the tournament as defending champions after defeating Sunrisers Hyderabad in last year’s final.
However, the much-anticipated clash could be affected by rain if the current weather forecasts hold true. The Indian Meteorological Department has issued an orange alert for parts of West Bengal from March 20 to March 22, predicting thunderstorms and heavy rain in South Bengal. According to Accuweather, Kolkata has a 74% chance of rain on Saturday, with cloud cover expected to reach 97%. The likelihood of showers increases to 90% in the evening.
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The tournament will kick off with a grand opening ceremony featuring performances by Shreya Ghoshal, Karan Aujla, and Disha Patani.
In another development, one match at Eden Gardens is set to be rescheduled. KKR’s home game against Lucknow Super Giants on April 6 will be shifted to Guwahati due to the Ram Navami celebrations in Kolkata that day. The city police informed officials they would not be able to provide security for the match, according to Cricket Association of Bengal president Snehasish Ganguly.
Ajinkya Rahane will captain KKR in this season’s opener, while Rajat Patidar will lead RCB. RCB had a promising run last season, reaching the playoffs before losing the Eliminator to Rajasthan Royals. With a talented squad, they will once again aim to secure their first IPL title.