Kolkata Knight Riders vs Royal Challengers Bengaluru , Full Score Card

On a back of a length, just around middle and leg, Spencer mishits the pull shot from the splice of his blade as the ball rolls into the off side. Only a single to end the innings and just five runs overall from the final over. Kolkata Knight Riders finish at 174/8.

Spencer Johnson comes out to bat.

OUT! HIGH UP IN THE AIR, AND TAKEN! This has been an exceptional exhibition of bowling display from the experienced Aussie! Josh Hazlewood sticks to his plan to bowl on a hard length. Hits the deck hard, on top of the stumps, skidding quickly and getting heavy on the right-hander. Harshit weighs on the back foot and shapes up to pull, but top edges it in the night sky. The ball swirls behind the wickets and swirls while descending. Jitesh Sharma calls for his catch, runs forward and takes a fine catch.

TOP EDGE AND FOUR! A boundary after 11 balls for KKR! Back of a length, skidding through quickly on the batter, on top of off, Harshit Rana tries to pull aerially, but the top edge is found and it flies over the keeper's head for a boundary.

Make that three dots on the trot! Bangs hard on the surface, on the stumps, with some extra bounce, Harshit Rana again opts for a pull shot, swings and misses.

Another dot! Again, an effort ball, short in length, just outside off, Harshit Rana fails to connect again as he is beaten trying for a booming pull shot.

A dot to start the final over! Hoff hits the deck very hard, on the middle and leg stump line, Harshit Rana swings across but misses to connect.

Aims the pegs, on a fullish length, Harshit Rana stays leg side, and slaps it through covers for just a single. What a penultimate over from Yash Dayal. A wicket and just four singles off it.

Harshit Rana walks in.

OUT! CAUGHT BEHIND! Yash Dayal gets his first wicket and it makes a better over, much better for him. Takes the pace off from the leather, does Yash Dayal, on a good length, angling across off, with a bit of an extra bounce off the surface. Angkrish Raghuvanshi weighs on the back foot to pull over the leg side but is through his shot marginally early and the outside edge is found. The ball carries to the keeper and Jitesh Sharma takes a safe catch.

Fuller on off, Angkrish Raghuvanshi hits it on the bounce to mid off.

Speared in on the pads, at 135.5 kph, on a fuller length, Ramandeep Singh gets a bit across to heave it away but mistimes to deep mid-wicket for a single.

Short and on the stumps, pulled away to deep mid-wicket for a single.

Slower one, on a good length, across off, Ramandeep Singh mistimes his back foot punch. Hits it a bit aerially to the cover region. Rajat Patidar dives to his left and half stops it on the bounce. The ball is parried to the deep and the batters cross for a single.

Into the blockhole, around off, Ramandeep Singh crouches a bit and carves it out through short third for a single.

Outside off, on a length, Angkrish Raghuvanshi miscues the heave, in the air, and to the left of long on for a single.

SIX! Oh, that is effortless! On a good length, just around off, a slower ball, Angkrish Raghuvanshi waits, and waits for it. Creates a stable base before pulling it behind deep mid-wicket for a cracking six.

Short of a length ball, pitching outside off, Ramandeep Singh weirdly plays an attacking lofted on drive on the front foot, but is hit on the right arm as the ball rolls towards backward point. They cross for a leg bye.

Slows it down on a length, outside off, Angkrish Raghuvanshi shuffles across the off stump, and tries to pull it to the deep fine leg region, but mistimes it and the ball rolls between square leg and short fine leg. Angkrish Raghuvanshi scoots off for a single at the other end and has to put in a dive to reach home before the throw. A quick single taken.

Hits the deck hard, does Hoff, on a length, Angkrish Raghuvanshi swings to pull but misses. Some extra bounce on it.

Another quiet over for KKR! Just four off it. Shortish and outside off, Ramandeep Singh cuts it off the back foot but finds Devdutt Padikkal at backward point.

Angling on the leg stump, on a length, Angkrish Raghuvanshi glances it to deep mid-wicket for a single.

Sliding on the pads, on a fullish length, Angkrish Raghuvanshi closes his bat face early, and the ball goes off the leading edge to cover.

Flat and on a length, on off, Ramandeep Singh rocks back and punches it in the cover region for one more.

Fuller and on middle and leg, Angkrish Raghuvanshi plays close to the body and tucks it to the square leg region for a single.

Liam fires it on a good length, on top of off, Ramandeep Singh hangs back and drags it to widish deep mid-wicket for a single.

Devdutt Padikkal comes in as the Impact Player for Royal Challengers Bengaluru. He will have a job to do later on with the bat. Suyash Sharma has been subbed out.

One more wrong'un, full and on the pads, Ramandeep Singh clips it to the square leg region for a single to end the over. An excellent over from Suyash Sharma. Just six runs off it and a wicket of the explosive Dre Russ. Suyash ends his spell with figures of 4-0-47-1.

Another googly, full and on off, Ramandeep Singh leans on and works it to short mid-wicket.

STRATEGIC BREAK! RCB have staged an impressive fightback through their spinners, with Krunal Pandya leading the way. The decision to bowl out Suyash Sharma, despite his expensive spell, proved to be a gamble that paid off with the wicket of Andre Russell. From a commanding 107/1, Kolkata Knight Riders have slipped to 150/6, and what once seemed like a straightforward path to 200 now looks like a tough ask. The last recognised batter, Ramandeep Singh, walks out to the middle. A short leg in place for the new batter.

OUT! OUTFOXED, OUTCLASSED! A big, big wicket for RCB as Suyash Sharma has the last laugh! Sharma dishes out a deceptive googly, and pitches it outside off, on a fuller length. Andre Russell sits down to slog it aerially in the leg side, but does not find enough room to access his shot. The ball lands and sharply turns back into the batter, beats Dre Russ who is through his shot, and sneaks through between the bat and pad, and crashes into the wickets. KKR have now slipped down to 150/6 from 107/1 as Andre Russell perishes without any impact on 4 (3).

FOUR! Dre Russ gets off the mark with a boundary! Marginally outside off, on a good length, Andre Russell is quick to rock back and cuts it away past backward point for a boundary. The 150 is up for KKR!

Floated up, fuller at 90.9 kph, on middle, Andre Russell leans on and pushes it to the leg side.

Dishes it on a good length, spinning away from off, Angkrish Raghuvanshi rocks back and cuts it away to deep cover for a single.

Andre Russell walks out now at number 7.

OUT! CLEANED HIM UP! Krunal Pandya caps off an impressive bowling effort with a wicket! Continues to keep the stumps in play and fires it in, flat and short, on middle, Rinku Singh swivels for the pull but is beaten for pace. The ball skids through and sneaks under the bat to clatter into the top of the off stump. Rinku falls for 12 (10). From 107/1, KKR are now 145/5. Krunal finishes with figures of 4-0-29-3.

Short and on off, Angkrish Raghuvanshi whips it off the back foot to long on for a run.

Fuller, on off, Rinku works it to deep square leg for a single.

A loud shout for LBW but turned down! Did it pitch in line? Rajat Patidar has a word with the keeper and decides against the review. This skids through, on the shorter side, on middle and leg, Rinku plays all around it as he gets beaten on the inside edge and gets rapped on the front pad. The Ball Tracking confirms that the ball did pitch outside the leg stump.

Drops it short, on middle, Angkrish Raghuvanshi jabs it to deep square leg for one more.

Good effort by Krunal! This is on a nagging length, on middle, Rinku places it with soft hands in the vacant mid-wicket region and calls for two straight away. Krunal puts in a sprint to his left and slides to cut it off. Just a single off it then.

Too straight, slanting into the pads, Rinku nudges it to deep square leg for a single. An over that started well for RCB with 3 singles ends up going for 10 runs.

Fuller and slanting into the pads, Rinku clips it to the right of Yash Dayal at deep square leg for a couple of runs.

FOUR! Short and punished! Not all that short from Liam, on off, Rinku presses on the back foot and firms the pull to the left of long on for a boundary.

At 91.2 kph, on a nagging length, Angkrish turns it through mid-wicket for a single.

Short and on middle, Rinku knocks it down to long on with a straight bat for one.

A leg-break first up to the right-hander, on off, Angkrish Raghuvanshi dabs it down in front of backward point for a single.

Change? Yup. More spin. RCB with their sixth bowler. Liam Livingstone is introduced into the attack for the first time.

On a nagging length, on middle, AR gets down and sweeps it through square leg for one.

Continues to keep the length short and the trajectory flat, on middle, Angkrish Raghuvanshi plays it off the back foot to the right of long on for a brace.

Short and going across, Rinku waits on it and glides it with an open bat face to short third. Josh Hazlewood is caught on his heels at short third and the batters take a quick single.

Angling into the pads, Angkrish Raghuvanshi whips it through mid-wicket for a single.

Tossed up, fuller and on off, Singh pushes it down to long off for a single.

OUT! DRAGGED ON! Wickets off successive overs for Krunal Pandya and he is thrilled to bits! Pushes it through, flat and short, on off, Iyer is caught in the crease and is a bit late on the shot. Looks to deal with it off the back foot but the ball catches the inside edge and crashes into the stumps. Iyer goes for 6 (7) and KKR have now slipped to 125/4 from 107/1.

Out walks Rinku Singh at number 6.

Wide! A surprise delivery from Krunal. Digs it in short but this sails over the batter's head for a wide. Venkatesh Iyer quickly calls for a helmet right away.

FOUR! Back-to-back boundaries for the young man! Pushed through quicker and on the shorter side, Angkrish waits on the back foot and cuts it well to the right of backward point for four more.

FOUR! Top class! Tossed up, on off, a bit too full, Angkrish Raghuvanshi plants his front foot ahead and lifts it to the left of long off for a boundary.

Flatter and shorter, on off, Iyer jabs at the delivery. Gets an outside edge that travels quickly to short third but Yash Dayal is up to the task there. Puts a dive to his left and keeps it to a single.

FOUR! A real loose delivery and Iyer does not miss out! This does not come out of the hand, as Sharma wanted it to. A half-tracker, around leg, Iyer swivels and pulls it away from deep square leg to his left for a one-bounce boundary.

Another googly and this leaves the left-hander, on off, Iyer cuts but can't get it past backward point.

Slips in the googly, full and attacking the front pad, Angkrish Raghuvanshi works it with the turn to deep square leg for a single.

Floated up, on the pads, on a length, Iyer wrists it to mid-wicket. Back-to-back successful overs for RCB.

Slightly slower and fuller too, on middle and leg, Iyer steps out and turns it to mid-wicket. Angkrish wants to sneak in a quick single but Rajat Patidar gets to the ball and quickly releases the throw.

Darted in again, on the pads, Angkrish Raghuvanshi clips it towards mid-wicket and opens his account with a single.

Angkrish Raghuvanshi is the new batter in for KKR.

OUT! TAKEN! Krunal Pandya strikes on his return to the attack! A double whammy for RCB. A wonderful innings comes to an end from the KKR skipper. Krunal spears it into the right-hander from around the wicket, on a nagging length, Rahane crouches a bit to get under the ball and pull it away. The ball gets a bit too close to him and he neither gets the distance nor the elevation. Hits it flat and straight down the throat of Rasikh Salam at deep backward square leg who makes no mistake. Rahane falls for 56 (31). The Knight Riders are now 109/3.

Pushed through again, on middle, Iyer gets on his toes and whips this short ball away to deep mid-wicket. Gets off the mark with a single.

Sliding on with the arm, on a nagging length, Rahane punches it down to long on for a single.

Ajinkya Rahane is joined by his deputy, Venkatesh Iyer. Also, a change in bowling. Krunal Pandya (1-0-15-0) is back on. He replaces Suyash Sharma.

OUT! EDGED AND CAUGHT BEHIND! Finally, RCB get a breakthrough! Rasikh is charged up and so are all the players of RCB. Rasikh stays around the stumps and pitches it on the good length, just around off. It just bounces a bit more off the surface as Sunil Narine tries to clear the in-field on the off side, but due to that excessive bounce, the ball gets heavy on the batter and the outside edge is found. It lobs straight into the safe gloves of Jitesh Sharma who completes a regulation catch behind the wickets. A highly entertaining inning from Sunil Narine comes to an end, as he departs for 44 (26). KKR are 107/2.

SIX! Audacious! The 100-run stand comes up between Narine and Rahane - including 11 sixes! Short of a good length angling on off, Sunil Narine hangs back and pulls it behind deep mid-wicket for a biggie.

Short of good length, pitching outside off stump, Sunil tries to play an aggressive cut shot and is beaten.

FOUR! 100 up for KKR! And this has really been a runaway train so far! Rasikh bowls a full toss from around the stumps, Sunil Narine drives it on the full and places it between cover and point for a boundary.

Short in length, on the top of middle, Ajinkya Rahane stands tall and pulls it away to deep mid-wicket for a single.

A slower ball from Rasikh, good length, around off and middle, nipping back in. Ajinkya Rahane tries to pull it away to the leg side, but is early in the shot, and inside edges onto the pads.

FOUR! Bludgeoned away! Flat and full from Suyash, on the stumps, Sunil Narine clears his front foot, gets his bat right under the ball and smashes it over the bowler for a boundary. The partnership grows to 92 off just 52 deliveries.

SIX! Just wow! A googly, on a fullish length, outside off, Sunil Narine gets low and smashes it over covers for a cracking six.

IN THE AIR...Lands safe! Tosses it up, on a fuller length, outside off, Sunil Narine is through his shot a bit early and airs it off the toe end of the bat, but luckily for him, the ball lands between long off and deep cover. A couple of runs taken.

Slowish, fuller and on off, Ajinkya Rahane drives it through covers for a single.

Length ball, outside off, Ajinkya chips it over the covers and collects a couple of quick runs.

SIX! In the arc, and out of the park! FIFTY FOR RAHANE! His 31st IPL fifty, including 2 centuries! Too full in front of the stumps, Ajinkya Rahane sits down on his knee, middles it magnificently and slogs it powerfully over deep mid-wicket for a huge six. He has peppered that leg side, with some beautiful pick up shots, and the KKR skipper looks in a fantastic touch.

WIDE! Sliding down leg. Rahane misses to sweep. Wide given.

Outside off on a good length, slower at 106.1 kph, Sunil Narine frees his arms and punches it to the off side, but Virat Kohli, stationed at the cover region cuts it off.

FOUR! Carved away smartly! Overpitched outside off, Sunil Narine opens the bat face and shovels it behind square on the off side, gets a boundary at widish deep third.

This one stays low! Slower one at 107.2 kph, full and outside off, Sunil Narine swings but misses.

WIDE! This one just lifts off the deck wildly, angling into the batter, but over the head. Sunil lets it pass by swaying away from the line of the ball. Wide called. The stumps light up as Narine knocks them over while completing his swing. It prompts a polite inquiry from a couple of RCB players. However, the third umpire quickly informs the on-field officials that it won’t be hit wicket, as the ball was already dead.

Back of a length and angling into the batter, Rahane backs away and pulls it to long on for a single.

A low full toss, outside off, Sunil Narine throws his bat at it, and the ball takes the thick bottom edge of the bat, and goes back to the left of the keeper, who dives full-stretched and half stops it. It is parried to the short third region, and the batters cross over for one.

WIDE! From around the stumps, outside the tramline on the off side, Sunil Narine offers no shot at it.

Straying on the pads, on a fuller length, Ajinkya Rahane misses to flick it away and the ball thuds the front pad, before rolling into the leg side. They cross for a leg bye. A mild appeal for LBW by the bowler, but clearly going way down leg.

Shortens the length, does Sharma, on off, Ajinkya Rahane punches it uppishly through mid off for a single. A quiet over this, just 5 off it.

Even quicker now, at 98.5 kph, good length, outside off, Ajinkya Rahane gets beaten on the outside edge as he tries to cut it square.

Floated up, at 97.2 kph, full on off, Ajinkya Rahane gets an inside edge onto the pads.

Flat and quick at 92.1 kph, on a length, outside off, punched off the back foot, but straight to the point fielder.

Suyash Sharma appears to be having some trouble with the landing area and has called for sawdust to be applied. A brief pause in play as the ground staff tends to the issue. We are all good to go.

FOUR! Gracefully placed! Short again from Suyash, outside off, Ajinkya Rahane stands tall and punches it through covers for a boundary. The fielder, Phil Salt, runs across to his left in the deep, but the ball has got enough wheels on it to get to the fence. Stand and deliver from the KKR skipper!

Begins from over the stumps, a drag downer to start with, on a length, outside off, Rahane lets it be.

STRATEGIC BREAK! A Powerplay of two contrasting halves! Royal Challengers Bengaluru had the upper hand in the first three overs, reducing KKR to 9/1. But the tide quickly turned as the next three overs went for a blistering 51 runs, shifting momentum firmly in the Knight Riders' favour. This pitch is an absolute belter for batting, and whatever movement was on offer early on seems to have vanished. Ajinkya Rahane is off to a flying start for the home side, and RCB will be hoping this break helps them reset and wrest back control. The leggie Suyash Sharma to bowl after the break.

Switches to around the stumps, on a length, angling on off, Ajinkya Rahane waits for the ball to arrive and opens the bat face, and glides it to deep third for a single. Kolkata Knight Riders end their Powerplay at 60/1.

FOUR! Poor and got the treatment! A slower full toss, across off, Ajinkya Rahane crouches a bit and places it wonderfully between cover and point for a boundary. This is a breezy start for KKR, barring those first three overs.

SIX! 50 UP FOR KKR! What a pick-up shot this is! Offered right into the wheelhouse, on the fuller side on the legs, Ajinkya Rahane just picks it up nicely and deposits it behind square for a six at deep backward square leg.

EDGED AND FOUR! Streaky, but doesn't matter! Runs flowing for KKR! Speared in fuller in length, angling back in. Ajinkya Rahane shapes up to whip it across to the leg side, but the top edge is found and the ball flies over short third for a boundary.

In the air...on the bounce in the deep! Fuller, shaping a bit away, Sunil Narine slices it over the inner ring, over point for a single.

FOUR! Pierced away! Full in length from Dayal, angling on the pads, Sunil Narine flicks it between mid on and mid-wicket for a boundary.

Yash Dayal (1-0-1-0) is back on.

FOUR! Two in two for Rahane and the KKR skipper is up and running! Slanting in from around the wicket, on a length, Rahane gets under the ball and pumps it over mid on for four more. An expensive first over from Krunal, 15 runs off it. 31 runs off the last 2 overs for the Knight Riders.

FOUR! Good shot! The same cannot be said about the ball though. With square leg and fine leg inside the circle, this is full and on the pads, Rahane gets down on a knee and sweeps it over square leg for a boundary.

Slightly slower, on middle and leg, Ajinkya Rahane switches his stance and goes for the reverse but misses and gets hit high on the front pad.

Spots the batter backing away does KP and he follows him. This skids through, on a nagging length, tucked to square leg by Rahane.

Fired in full and into the pads by Krunal, Narine knocks it to the left of long on for a single.

SIX! Krunal Pandya is greeted into the attack with a monstrous hit! 3 sixes in the last 5 balls for KKR. Sliding on with the arm, on a nagging length, on off, Narine swings across the line and thumps it over deep mid-wicket for a six.

Hoff to get another? Double change then. The first sights of spin. Krunal Pandya introduced into the attack, replacing Josh Hazlewood.

Hurls it on a good length and this goes away off the seam, on the off stump, Ajinkya looks to keep it out with a straight bat. Gets an outside edge that rolls towards short third where Josh Hazlewood dives to his right and cuts it off.

SIX! This is even better than the previous one! Came right off the screws for the KKR skipper. Not a bad ball by Salam as this is on a good length, just outside the off stump, Rahane walks into the shot and launches it well over deep mid-wicket for a biggie.

In the channel on off, on a length, Rahane leans into the shot and sweetly drives it but straight to Krunal Pandya at cover-point.

SIX! Nicely picked up! Ajinkya Rahane with the first six of the 2025 IPL! With an upright seam, on a short of a good length, on middle, Rahane picks it up quickly and whips it over deep backward square leg for a six.

FOUR! Easy pickings! Sliding down leg, on the fuller side, Rahane helps it well wide of deep fine leg to his right for a boundary.

Good start from Salam! Jagging back into the right-hander and a bit of lift off the deck, on off, Rahane stands tall to punch it away but the ball comes off the splice of the bat and dribbles in front of cover.

Will Dayal continue? He won't. The first change in the bowling from RCB. Here's Rasikh Salam into the attack.

On a good length, around off, Narine opts to stay away from the line of the ball and shapes up to thrash it away on the off side. Miscues it off the inner half of the bat back to the bowler. Another tidy over from Hazlewood.

At the stumps, on a good length, Sunil Narine stays leg side of the ball and mows it on the bounce to mid on without much timing.

FOUR! Streaky! A well-directed bumper by Josh at the left shoulder of the batter, Sunil gets into a bit of a tangle. Tries to take the short ball on and gets a top edge that flies over the keeper for his first boundary.

At 139 kph, leaving the left-hander, on a short of a good length, Sunil Narine has a heave across the line but misses.

Beaten again! This kicks up a bit, on a hard length, on off, Narine looks to flay at it away but gets beaten on the outside edge.

Swing and a miss! On a back of a length, over middle, Sunil Narine backs away to go big on the leg side but connects with thin air.

An optimistic shout for LBW! Swinging back into the right-hander, fuller in length, Ajinkya Rahane swings at it to swipe it away on the leg side but misses. Gets rapped on the front pad but the ball seemed to have pitched outside leg from the over-the-wicket angle. And could have also missed the leg stump. An excellent first over from Dayal to back up the start from Josh at the other end.

The length is pulled back now, angling into the left-hander, Narine backs away and goes deep in the crease. Jabs it to the left of mid on for a single to get off the mark.

Pitches it up and gets the ball to move away a bit in the air, Sunil Narine stays leg side of the ball and goes at with his hands. Pushes it straight to cover.

Shaping away, near the tramline on off, on a short of a good length, Sunil Narine leaves the ball alone.

On the fuller side, on off, Narine pats it back to the bowler.

Has Narine been strangled down leg on the very first ball? There was a noise as the ball went past the batter and the appeal was quite confident from the keeper and the bowler. The umpire remained unmoved and after a chat, RCB decide against the review. Slanting into the pads, on a short of a length, Narine misses the tickle and the replays show that the ball brushed the thigh pad on its way to the keeper.

What an action-packed opening over! A four, a dropped catch, and a wicket - just up to the hype. Here's Yash Dayal to operate from the far end.

Angling into the right-hander, on a good length, on middle, Ajinkya Rahane defends it solidly with a straight bat.

KKR skipper, Ajinkya Rahane walks out to the middle at number 3.

OUT! EDGED AND GONE! Quinton de Kock is gone this time! Suyash Sharma will be the most relieved man in all of Kolkata. The nip-backer from Josh Hazlewood, on a short of a good length, Quinton de Kock stays on the back foot and shapes up to punch it away. This comes back in off the deck to cramp QDK for room. The ball grazes the inside edge and it is a good diving grab by the keeper Jitesh Sharma low to his right. Quinton de Kock departs on 4 (5). An early blow to KKR.

Going across the left-hander, on a length, Quinton de Kock lets it be.

DROPPED! Would you believe it? Suyash Sharma has shelled a dolly! This is on a back of a length, around off, Quinton de Kock swivels to pull it away but a bit of extra bounce results in the ball catching the top edge. It goes straight up and only as far as square leg where Sharma does not quite settle under it and opts to take it sideways. Stretches his hands out to his right and fails to hold on.

FOUR! Quinton de Kock and Kolkata Knight Riders are underway! Josh Hazlewood pushes it across the left-hander but ends up offering a bit of width and it is on the shorter side. Quinton de Kock frees his arms and slaps it past the diving cover fielder for a boundary.

Josh is right on the money! Lands it on a good length, on top of off, at 139.6 kph, Quinton de Kock hangs back and stabs it beside the pitch on the off side.

Here we go then! The bell has rung at the iconic Eden Gardens and it is time for the action to get underway in this curtain raiser! A full house in this 'City of Joy', no surprises at all. The decibel levels are high as the two umpires walk out to the middle. The players of Royal Challengers Bengaluru spread out to the park and take their fielding positions. Now then, the fresh opening pair for the Kolkata Knight Riders walk out. It is Sunil Narine accompanied by Quinton de Kock as the two walk out to the pitch. The very experienced Josh Hazlewood, back from the injury, has been handed over the new ball. He will open the attack for RCB. The clock ticks off and here we go...

Impact players nominated by Royal Challengers Bengaluru - Devdutt Padikkal, Abhinandan Singh, Manoj Bhandage, Romario Shepherd and Swapnil Singh.

Royal Challengers Bengaluru (Playing XI) - Virat Kohli, Phil Salt, Rajat Patidar (C), Liam Livingstone, Jitesh Sharma (WK), Tim David, Krunal Pandya, Rasikh Salam, Suyash Sharma, Josh Hazlewood, Yash Dayal.

Impact players nominated by Kolkata Knight Riders - Anrich Nortje, Manish Pandey, Vaibhav Arora, Anukul Roy and Luvnith Sisodia.

Kolkata Knight Riders (Playing XI) - Quinton de Kock (WK), Venkatesh Iyer, Ajinkya Rahane (C), Rinku Singh, Angkrish Raghuvanshi, Sunil Narine, Andre Russell, Ramandeep Singh, Spencer Johnson, Harshit Rana, Varun Chakaravarthy.

The skipper of Kolkata Knight Riders, Ajinkya Rahane says that they would have bowled first as well but toss is something that is not in your control. Adds that it is important to play good cricket throughout the 40 overs and he hopes that they can bat well as a unit. Mentions that it is an honour to lead the side. Shares that they have managed to retain the core group from the previous season. States that everyone in the team has settled well and they have an experienced group. Informs that they are going with 3 pacers and 2 spinners.

The captain of Royal Challengers Bengaluru, Rajat Patidar says it looks like a decent surface. Observes that it is a hard deck and he hopes to restrict KKR to a score as low as possible. Feels amazing to lead RCB for the first time and mentions there are some great players in the squad, and he has learnt a lot from them. Says the preparations have been really good coming into this game, and the boys are looking confident. Says they are going with three fast bowlers and two spinners.

TOSS - Rajat Patidar calls it correctly and Royal Challengers Bengaluru have opted to BOWL first.

It's now time for cricketing royalty to take centre stage as the two teams begin their warm-ups. The anticipation is building, and the flip of the coin is just moments away. Visuals from the KKR camp show Aussie left-arm quick Spencer Johnson receiving his maiden cap from Sunil Narine. While this isn’t Johnson’s debut IPL season, having played for Gujarat Titans in 2024, it marks his first campaign as a Knight Rider.

Up next, the two captains, Rajat Patidar and Ajinkya Rahane, step onto the stage. Rahane, leading KKR as the defending champions, carries the coveted IPL trophy, a reminder of what’s at stake as the 18th season gets underway. To commemorate the league’s milestone, a special cake themed around the 18th season is unveiled and ceremoniously cut by the BCCI dignitaries present on stage. And finally, to bring the grand ceremony to a close, the Indian national anthem rings out across Eden Gardens.

A big cheer echoes around Eden Gardens as Shah Rukh Khan invites Virat Kohli onto the stage. The RCB talisman is felicitated with a special memento, honouring his incredible journey as one of the few players to have featured in every IPL season since the inaugural edition in 2008. 

An orange alert was issued for the region by the met department, and while there were showers earlier in the day, the weather has thankfully improved significantly. The improved conditions have set the stage for a dazzling opening ceremony, with stars like Shah Rukh Khan, Shreya Ghoshal, Karan Aujla, and Disha Patani lighting up the night. Here’s hoping the rain continues to stay away. Toss and team news coming up shortly!

Will 'Ee Sala Cup Namde' finally turn into 'Ee Sala Cup Namdu'? That’s the question on every RCB fan’s mind as they embark on a new journey under Rajat Patidar's captaincy, determined to end their long wait for an IPL title. As always, much will hinge on the form of Virat Kohli, the previous season’s Orange Cap winner, who will have the support of power hitters like Phil Salt, Jacob Bethell, and Liam Livingstone. Adding experience to their ranks, Bhuvneshwar Kumar has found a new home in Bengaluru and will be pivotal to their bowling attack. 

A new era awaits KKR under the leadership of Ajinkya Rahane as they set out to defend their crown. The three-time champions will have the backing of their passionate home crowd as they take the field. The men in purple boast T20 powerhouses like Sunil Narine and Andre Russell, while Venkatesh Iyer, the third most expensive buy at the 2025 auction, adds further firepower. They also have Varun Chakaravarthy, fresh off his success with India at the Champions Trophy, ready to weave his magic.

Drumrolls, please! The 18th season of the Indian Premier League is finally here! Buckle up as we take you on an electrifying ride over the next few weeks, and it all begins at the iconic Eden Gardens. The defending champions, Kolkata Knight Riders, kick off their title defence against Royal Challengers Bengaluru in a clash that brings back memories of the IPL’s very first game in 2008. The league has since evolved into a global cricketing spectacle, and tonight marks the beginning of another exciting chapter.

... MATCH DAY ...

Cricket's greatest spectacle dawns once more. As spring breathes new life across the subcontinent, the Indian Premier League unveils its 18th season with a momentous encounter between two cricketing powerhouses. Eighteen seasons – a remarkable evolution. The IPL's journey mirrors that of a child growing into adulthood – from those tentative first matches in 2008 to today's global phenomenon. Now standing confidently at 18, this tournament carries the weight of countless stories, dramatic finishes, and careers forever changed by its spotlight. For the next eight weeks, India becomes cricket's ultimate melting pot. This magnificent sporting carnival brings together extraordinary talents from across the globe under a single roof. Where else would you witness stars from Kingston to London, Melbourne to Mumbai, and Cape Town to Christchurch sharing strategy and camaraderie? International adversaries transform into teammates, united by team colors and driven by the passionate roar of millions. Cast your mind back to April 18, 2008 – the day this revolutionary league took its first breath. In a poetic twist of fate, the curtain raiser of the season features the very same franchises that introduced this tournament to the world. The historic Eden Gardens prepares to host a clash between Kolkata Knight Riders' defending champions and Royal Challengers Bengaluru's perennial challengers, a team whose heart has never wavered despite elusive glory. KKR returns to the tournament with a fresh leadership change as the three-time champions move from Shreyas Iyer to the well-respected Ajinkya Rahane. After stints with six different teams, Rahane's return to Kolkata feels like a homecoming following his 2022 season with them. The franchise has wisely maintained its winning combination, featuring a strong batting core of Rahmanullah Gurbaz, Venkatesh Iyer, Rinku Singh, and the evergreen Manish Pandey, complemented by the explosive talents of Sunil Narine and Andre Russell. Their bowling attack remains formidable with Varun Chakaravarthy, who impressed in the recent Champions Trophy and claimed 21 wickets in the last season of the IPL, alongside Harshit Rana. The auction brought valuable additions like Quinton de Kock strengthening the top order and Moeen Ali bolstering the middle, while Aussie left armer, Spencer Johnson arrives in the mix following Mitchell Starc's exclusion. With this balanced blend of established stars and promising uncapped players, KKR presents a genuinely intimidating lineup on paper. Royal Challengers Bengaluru enters the season with fresh leadership as young talent Rajat Patidar takes over captaincy following Faf du Plessis' departure. Though unexpected, this move signals the franchise's forward-thinking approach. The team continues to build around their cornerstone, Virat Kohli, whose staggering 8000+ IPL runs since the team's inception make him invaluable to RCB's structure. This season brings explosive opener Phil Salt as Kohli's new partner at the top, with returnee Devdutt Padikkal likely slotting in at number three to create a formidable top order. Their middle order gets a significant boost with big-hitting internationals Tim David and Liam Livingstone, the latter offering valuable bowling options as well. The addition of Krunal Pandya provides that essential Indian all-rounder element the team needed. Perhaps their most strategic acquisition is veteran swing specialist Bhuvneshwar Kumar, whose consistent wicket-taking ability could finally address RCB's historic bowling struggles. With overseas pacers Josh Hazlewood and Lungi Ngidi, plus the raw Caribbean power of Romario Shepherd, RCB's bowling unit finally appears balanced, giving them welcome selection options that have been lacking in previous campaigns. In the well-documented IPL laurels, this rivalry has produced the most nerve-jangling moments over the years, with fans certain to experience similar thrills this time around. Both teams advanced to the playoffs last season, though their paths diverged significantly as KKR hoisted the coveted trophy while RCB faltered at the Eliminator hurdle. The head-to-head record heavily favors Kolkata, who have dominated with a 4-1 advantage in their last five encounters, leaving RCB determined to script a new chapter of redemption against their formidable rivals. And as unbelievable as it may sound, RCB are yet to taste victory against KKR since 2022. It's been a three-year drought that the men in red are determined to end as they prepare to 'Play Bold' in this encounter. Or will the Knight Riders march on with their 'Korbo Lorbo Jeetbo' motto, in their title defense? The iconic Eden Gardens stands ready to host this season opener, setting the stage for what promises to be another spectacular tournament filled with cricketing drama and excitement.