The 18th edition of the Indian Premier League (IPL) will kickstart with a blockbuster clash between defending champions Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) and Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) on Saturday, Mar. 22. The match will follow a grand opening ceremony planned at the Eden Gardens in Kolkata.
Both teams have seen a leadership shift, with Ajinkya Rahane taking charge of KKR and Rajat Patidar leading RCB.
RCB will look forward to breaking their losing streak against KKR as they have lost their previous four encounters against them. RCB is pursuing its maiden IPL title and made some powerful additions during the mega auctions.
It acquired all-rounder Liam Livingstone for Rs 8.75 crore and wicketkeeper-batter Phil Salt for Rs 11.50 crore. The likes of Bhuvneshwar Kumar (Rs 10.75 crore) and Josh Hazlewood (Rs 12.50 crore) will bring sharpness to the bowling lineup.
KKR used all six of their retentions to keep their core unchanged. Notably, the team did not retain Shreyas Iyer who led the side to title victory.
Here is everything you need to know about the season opener between KKR and RCB.
IPL 2025: KKR vs RCB Date and Time
The IPL 18 opening clash between KKR and RCB is scheduled for Mar. 22. The first ball in the contest will be bowled at 7:30 p.m.
IPL 2025: KKR vs RCB Venue
The IPL 2025 opening match between KKR and RCB will be held at the Eden Gardens in Kolkata.
KKR vs RCB: Head To Head In IPL
KKR and RCB have faced each other 34 times in the IPL. Out of this, KKR have won 20 times while RCB have won 14 games. In their last five clashes, RCB have managed only one victory. KKR have beaten RCB in their previous four encounters
IPL 2025: KKR vs RCB Live Telecast Details
The IPL match between KKR and RCB will be broadcast on the Star Sports network.
KKR vs RCB Live Streaming Details
The IPL 18 opening encounter between KKR and RCB will be live streamed on the JioHotstar app and website.
RCB Playing XI (Probable)
Phil Salt, Virat Kohli, Rajat Patidar (C), Liam Livingstone, Jitesh Sharma (Wk), Krunal Pandya, Tim David, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Yash Dayal, Josh Hazlewood, Suyash Sharma
Impact Player: Rasikh Salam/Devdutt Padikkal
KKR Playing XI (Probable)
Sunil Narine, Quinton de Kock (Wk), Ajinkya Rahane (C), Angkrish Raghuvanshi, Venkatesh Iyer, Rinku Singh, Andre Russell, Ramandeep Singh, Harshit Rana, Spencer Johnson, Varun Chakaravarthy.
Impact Player: Vaibhav Arora
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