The opening match of IPL 2025 between Kolkata Knight Riders and Royal Challengers Bengaluru at Eden Gardens on Saturday faces uncertainty due to weather concerns. The India Meteorological Department has issued an orange alert for Kolkata, forecasting rain and thunderstorms that could affect both the match, scheduled for 7:30 p.m. IST, and the opening ceremony, set for 6 p.m. IST.
Ground staff at Eden Gardens covered the playing area on Thursday as a precautionary measure. Practice sessions for both teams were shortened on Friday due to drizzle.
What happens if KKR vs RCB is a washout?
If the match cannot be played due to weather, both teams will be awarded one point each. In the league stage of the IPL, there are no reserve days for group matches, meaning the game will be called off if conditions do not improve within the scheduled timeframe.
Even if the rain stops and a shortened game takes place, the pitch could be significantly affected by the moisture. In recent seasons, Eden Gardens has become more favorable for batters, but wet conditions may shift the advantage toward the bowlers. Prolonged cover on the pitch could result in slower turn and unpredictable bounce, making batting more challenging.
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Weather Forecast for Match Day
Scattered light to moderate rainfall with thunderstorms, lightning, and gusty winds are expected across parts of West Bengal from March 20 to March 22. The Regional Meteorological Centre has specifically predicted thunderstorms with strong surface winds for Saturday.
The temperature in Kolkata is expected to range between 29°C and 22°C, with humidity levels at 65%, which could impact pitch conditions. Cloudy skies with showers are expected in the morning, with precipitation chances reaching 66% around 11 a.m. This could affect preparations for the opening ceremony scheduled between 6:20 p.m. and 6:45 p.m. The afternoon forecast indicates a mix of clouds and sunshine, with rain probability decreasing to 25% by late afternoon.
By the time of the toss at 7 p.m., rain chances are expected to be at 10%. However, precipitation probability rises to 70% by 11 p.m., raising concerns about possible interruptions. Ground staff at Eden Gardens has kept the playing area covered since Thursday as a precaution.
A washout would mean both KKR and RCB start their campaigns without the chance to gain a full two points. KKR and RCB have faced off 34 times in IPL history, with Kolkata leading the head-to-head record 20-14. This marks the first time the two teams will meet in the season opener since the inaugural IPL match in 2008.
Probable XIs:
KKR: Sunil Narine, Quinton de Kock (wk), Ajinkya Rahane (c), Venkatesh Iyer, Angkrish Raghuvanshi, Rinku Singh, Andre Russell, Ramandeep Singh, Spencer Johnson, Vaibhav Arora, Harshit Rana, Varun Chakaravarthy.
RCB: Phil Salt, Virat Kohli, Devdutt Padikkal, Rajat Patidar (c), Liam Livingstone, Jitesh Sharma (wk), Tim David, Krunal Pandya, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Josh Hazlewood, Yash Dayal, Suyash Sharma/Rasikh Dar Salam.
