KKR vs RCB IPL 2025 Opener Under Covers as Rain Hits Kolkata
The inaugural match of the 2025 Indian Premier League between reigning champions Kolkata Knight Riders and Royal Challengers Bengaluru at Eden Gardens is threatened by continuous rain. The weather has already derailed practice sessions of both teams a day before the game, and fears are being raised about a possible delay or even cancellation of the much-awaited encounter.
Heavy showers have so far set in at the stadium, spoiling hopes of both teams, which were keen to begin their campaign with a victory. The Regional Meteorological Centre has predicted thunderstorms, lightning, and squally winds over several parts of West Bengal from Friday evening through Sunday evening. In anticipation, the groundsmen have roofed the pitch, which is far from suitable for the opening game of the tournament.
The weather prediction for Kolkata on March 22, as per AccuWeather, shows showers during the morning, and conditions are likely to improve progressively by noon.
Ajinkya Rahane and Rajat Patidar, both making their first time captaincy appearances, will be looking forward to fair weather to enable a complete contest and a reasonable chance to win an early game in the tournament.
Fans and teams alike will be monitoring weather reports closely, with fingers crossed that the skies clear before the toss so the match can go on as planned without interruptions.
KKR Full Squad: Quinton de Kock (w), Sunil Narine, Ajinkya Rahane (c), Angkrish Raghuvanshi, Venkatesh Iyer, Rinku Singh, Andre Russell, and others.
RCB Full Squad: Virat Kohli, Philip Salt, Rajat Patidar (c), Jitesh Sharma (w), Liam Livingstone, Tim David, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, and others.
Live Streaming: On JioHotstar and the Star Sports Network.
