The opening encounter of the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2025 between Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) and Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) at Eden Gardens faces the looming threat of rain, with the India Meteorological Department (IMD) issuing an "orange alert" for Kolkata and several districts of West Bengal.
According to the IMD’s daily bulletin, “Light to moderate rainfall with thunderstorm, lightning and gusty winds" is likely over Gangetic West Bengal on Saturday, the day of the much-anticipated fixture.
On the eve of the match, practice sessions for both teams were cut short due to persistent drizzle. KKR and RCB players commenced training at 5 p.m. on Friday, but showers an hour later forced them to abandon their preparations.
Ground staff immediately placed covers on the pitch and outfield, ensuring protection against further moisture.
The weather department has predicted a day of unsettled conditions in Kolkata, with thunderstorms expected alongside rain. The minimum temperature is set to hover around 22 degrees Celsius, while the maximum may touch 29 degrees Celsius.
The season opener is scheduled to commence at 7:30 p.m., with the toss at 7:00 p.m. Before the match, an opening ceremony featuring performances by Shreya Ghoshal, Karan Aujla, and Disha Patani, among others, is set to enthrall fans at Eden Gardens.
Defending champions KKR will be led by Ajinkya Rahane, while RCB has appointed Rajat Patidar as captain.
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The KKR squad includes Ajinkya Rahane (c), Rinku Singh, Quinton de Kock, Rahmanullah Gurbaz, Angkrish Raghuvanshi, Venkatesh Iyer, Ramandeep Singh, Andre Russell, Anrich Nortje, Harshit Rana, Sunil Narine, Varun Chakaravarthy, Vaibhav Arora, Mayank Markande, Rovman Powell, Manish Pandey, Spencer Johnson, Luvnith Sisodia, Anukul Roy, Moeen Ali, and Chetan Sakariya.
Meanwhile, RCB’s line-up features Rajat Patidar (c), Virat Kohli, Yash Dayal, Josh Hazlewood, Phil Salt, Jitesh Sharma, Liam Livingstone, Rasikh Dar, Suyash Sharma, Krunal Pandya, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Swapnil Singh, Tim David, Romario Shepherd, Nuwan Thushara, Manoj Bhandage, Jacob Bethel, Devdutt Padikkal, Swastik Chhikara, Lungi Ngidi, Abhinandan Singh, and Mohit Rathee.
With the IMD’s warning in place, the possibility of a delayed start or an abandoned fixture remains high.
Cricket enthusiasts and officials alike will be hoping for a break in the weather, ensuring a smooth start to the highly awaited IPL 2025 season.
The final decision regarding match proceedings will rest with the umpires and match officials, who will assess ground conditions before the scheduled start time.
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