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Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) captain <a href="https://www.wionews.com/tags/ajinkya-rahane">Ajinkya Rahane</a> admitted that the <a href="https://www.wionews.com/tags/eden-gardens">Eden Gardens</a> pitch played differently than usual in their IPL 2025 opener against Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB). Traditionally known to assist spinners, the surface offered little turn, affecting KKR&rsquo;s spin-heavy bowling attack in their seven-wicket defeat.
Rahane attributed the change in conditions to persistent rain, which kept the wicket under covers for nearly two days. This led to early moisture, favoring RCB&rsquo;s fast bowlers, particularly Josh Hazlewood, who made full use of the conditions.
Also Read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/cricket/ipl-2025-theres-something-special-about-this-rcb-team-this-year-says-former-australian-opening-batter-matthew-hayden-8881570">IPL 2025: 'There's something special about this RCB team this year', says former Australian opening batter Matthew Hayden</a>
"We would love to see a pitch that helps spin bowlers, but this wicket was under covers for the last one and a half days," Rahane said in the post-match press conference. "There was some moisture when we started our batting, and Hazlewood used the conditions really well."
<h2>'Pitch played different due to rain'</h2>
KKR&rsquo;s spin duo, Varun Chakravarthy and Sunil Narine, struggled to extract their usual turn. <a href="https://www.wionews.com/tags/varun-chakaravarthy">Chakravarthy</a>, coming off a strong Champions Trophy campaign, conceded 43 runs in four overs, while Narine finished with 1 for 27. Their combined two wickets were a stark contrast to their usual impact.
Despite the setback, Rahane backed his spinners. "No complaints. Both our spinners are of great quality; they can bowl on any kind of wicket. I'm sure they are confident as well, but yes, the pitch played differently because of the rain," he added.
Chasing 175, RCB openers Phil Salt and Virat Kohli (59*) gave a flying start, taking their side to 80/0 in the powerplay. Salt&rsquo;s explosive hitting dismantled Chakravarthy in the fourth over, hammering 21 runs.
Though KKR managed breakthroughs later, the damage was done. Salt fell after scoring a quick-fire fifty, while Devdutt Padikkal (19) was caught off Narine. Kohli, staying true to his "chase master' reputation, reached his half-century in style with a lofted boundary over covers.
RCB skipper Rajat Patidar (34) played a quick cameo before losing his wicket to Vaibhav Arora. Liam Livingstone (15*) finished the chase with a flourish, sealing a seven-wicket win.
KKR will look to bounce back when they face Rajasthan Royals in Guwahati on Wednesday (March 26).
(With inputs from agencies)

Sports, Cricket: Traditionally known to assist spinners, the surface offered little turn, affecting KKR’s spin-heavy bowling attack in their seven-wicket defeat

Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) captain Ajinkya Rahane admitted that the Eden Gardens pitch played differently than usual in their IPL 2025 opener against Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB). Traditionally known to assist spinners, the surface offered little turn, affecting KKR’s spin-heavy bowling attack in their seven-wicket defeat. Rahane attributed the change in conditions to persistent rain, which kept the wicket under covers for nearly two days. This led to early moisture, favoring RCB’s fast bowlers, particularly Josh Hazlewood, who made full use of the conditions. Also Read: IPL 2025: 'There's something special about this RCB team this year', says former Australian opening batter Matthew Hayden "We would love to see a pitch that helps spin bowlers, but this wicket was under covers for the last one and a half days," Rahane said in the post-match press conference. "There was some moisture when we started our batting, and Hazlewood used the conditions really well." 'Pitch played different due to rain' KKR’s spin duo, Varun Chakravarthy and Sunil Narine, struggled to extract their usual turn. Chakravarthy, coming off a strong Champions Trophy campaign, conceded 43 runs in four overs, while Narine finished with 1 for 27. Their combined two wickets were a stark contrast to their usual impact. Despite the setback, Rahane backed his spinners. "No complaints. Both our spinners are of great quality; they can bowl on any kind of wicket. I'm sure they are confident as well, but yes, the pitch played differently because of the rain," he added. Chasing 175, RCB openers Phil Salt and Virat Kohli (59*) gave a flying start, taking their side to 80/0 in the powerplay. Salt’s explosive hitting dismantled Chakravarthy in the fourth over, hammering 21 runs. Though KKR managed breakthroughs later, the damage was done. Salt fell after scoring a quick-fire fifty, while Devdutt Padikkal (19) was caught off Narine. Kohli, staying true to his "chase master' reputation, reached his half-century in style with a lofted boundary over covers. RCB skipper Rajat Patidar (34) played a quick cameo before losing his wicket to Vaibhav Arora. Liam Livingstone (15*) finished the chase with a flourish, sealing a seven-wicket win. KKR will look to bounce back when they face Rajasthan Royals in Guwahati on Wednesday (March 26). (With inputs from agencies)

IPL 2025: Rahane calls for spin-friendly pitch at Eden Gardens after KKR’s loss to RCB

The highly anticipated 18th season of the <a href="https://www.wionews.com/tags/indian-premier-league" rel="dofollow">Indian Premier League</a> (IPL) has begun, bringing with it thrilling cricketing action, record-breaking performances, and edge-of-the-seat entertainment. In the opening match, Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) delivered a dominating win over Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR), setting the stage for an exhilarating tournament. Following the match, cricketing legends and JioStar experts Sunil Gavaskar and <a href="https://www.wionews.com/tags/matthew-hayden">Matthew Hayden</a> provided in-depth analysis exclusively on JioHotstar, dissecting key performances and strategic takeaways.
Former India cricketer Sunil Gavaskar praised the performances of Rajat Patidar and <a href="https://www.wionews.com/tags/virat-kohli">Virat Kohli</a>, emphasising their strong rapport. He said, &ldquo;Rajat Patidar has spent considerable time playing under Virat Kohli, which has helped him settle in seamlessly. Kohli&rsquo;s presence gave him confidence, and Patidar responded with an outstanding knock. The way he stroked the ball and made it look effortless was commendable."
"Additionally, RCB&rsquo;s ability to restrict KKR from what seemed like a 200-210 total to just 175 was crucial. Rajat Patidar&rsquo;s captaincy was impressive&mdash;his bowling changes were spot on, and his performance as a batter was equally impactful," he added.
Also Read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/cricket/ipl-2025-fan-breaches-security-at-eden-gardens-to-touch-virat-kohlis-feet-during-kkr-rcb-opener-watch-8881428">IPL 2025: Fan breaches security at Eden Gardens to touch Virat Kohli's feet during KKR-RCB opener-WATCH</a>
Gavaskar also highlighted the evolving aggressive approach of IPL batters.&nbsp;&ldquo;Players are becoming more adventurous, understanding the importance of capitalizing on the powerplay. With only two fielders outside the inner circle, teams must aim for 10-12 runs per over in the first six overs, targeting 60-75 runs even at the cost of one wicket. This provides a strong foundation to push for totals around 180-200, he said.
<h2>'Kohli's partnership with Salt was key'</h2>
Meanwhile, Matthew Hayden analysed Virat Kohli&rsquo;s performance while chasing. The former Australia opener said,&nbsp;&ldquo;This was the ideal total for Virat Kohli to chase. He thrives in scenarios where the target is around par or slightly above. His strike rate, particularly in the middle overs, was exceptional&mdash;maintaining over 170, which was exactly what was required."
"His partnership with Phil Salt was also key, as Salt&rsquo;s role in increasing the scoring rate complemented Kohli&rsquo;s approach. We&rsquo;re witnessing &lsquo;Virat Kohli 2.0&rsquo;&mdash;he remains dominant in powerplays but has now enhanced his effectiveness in the middle overs as well," he added.
Hayden further stressed the significance of net run rate in the IPL.&nbsp;&ldquo;Every season, net run rate plays a critical role. Last year, RCB had to make a late surge, and net run rate proved decisive. This season, too, it will be a crucial factor in the playoff race.&rdquo;
The Australian also discussed the influence of Krunal Pandya. &ldquo;Krunal Pandya was a brilliant selection. His variations, change of pace, and ability to attack the stumps made a significant impact. Experience is invaluable in high-pressure situations, and he demonstrated great composure. At one stage, RCB seemed to be struggling, but their resilience and comeback were remarkable.&rdquo;

Sports, Cricket: Sunil Gavaskar praised the performances of Rajat Patidar and Virat Kohli, while Matthew Hayden praised Virat Kohli’s performance while chasing

The highly anticipated 18th season of the Indian Premier League (IPL) has begun, bringing with it thrilling cricketing action, record-breaking performances, and edge-of-the-seat entertainment. In the opening match, Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) delivered a dominating win over Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR), setting the stage for an exhilarating tournament. Following the match, cricketing legends and JioStar experts Sunil Gavaskar and Matthew Hayden provided in-depth analysis exclusively on JioHotstar, dissecting key performances and strategic takeaways. Former India cricketer Sunil Gavaskar praised the performances of Rajat Patidar and Virat Kohli, emphasising their strong rapport. He said, “Rajat Patidar has spent considerable time playing under Virat Kohli, which has helped him settle in seamlessly. Kohli’s presence gave him confidence, and Patidar responded with an outstanding knock. The way he stroked the ball and made it look effortless was commendable." "Additionally, RCB’s ability to restrict KKR from what seemed like a 200-210 total to just 175 was crucial. Rajat Patidar’s captaincy was impressive—his bowling changes were spot on, and his performance as a batter was equally impactful," he added. Also Read: IPL 2025: Fan breaches security at Eden Gardens to touch Virat Kohli's feet during KKR-RCB opener-WATCH Gavaskar also highlighted the evolving aggressive approach of IPL batters. “Players are becoming more adventurous, understanding the importance of capitalizing on the powerplay. With only two fielders outside the inner circle, teams must aim for 10-12 runs per over in the first six overs, targeting 60-75 runs even at the cost of one wicket. This provides a strong foundation to push for totals around 180-200, he said. 'Kohli's partnership with Salt was key' Meanwhile, Matthew Hayden analysed Virat Kohli’s performance while chasing. The former Australia opener said, “This was the ideal total for Virat Kohli to chase. He thrives in scenarios where the target is around par or slightly above. His strike rate, particularly in the middle overs, was exceptional—maintaining over 170, which was exactly what was required." "His partnership with Phil Salt was also key, as Salt’s role in increasing the scoring rate complemented Kohli’s approach. We’re witnessing ‘Virat Kohli 2.0’—he remains dominant in powerplays but has now enhanced his effectiveness in the middle overs as well," he added. Hayden further stressed the significance of net run rate in the IPL. “Every season, net run rate plays a critical role. Last year, RCB had to make a late surge, and net run rate proved decisive. This season, too, it will be a crucial factor in the playoff race.” The Australian also discussed the influence of Krunal Pandya. “Krunal Pandya was a brilliant selection. His variations, change of pace, and ability to attack the stumps made a significant impact. Experience is invaluable in high-pressure situations, and he demonstrated great composure. At one stage, RCB seemed to be struggling, but their resilience and comeback were remarkable.”

IPL 2025: 'There's something special about this RCB team this year', says former Australian opening batter Matthew Hayden

The <a href="https://www.wionews.com/tags/indian-premier-league" rel="dofollow">Indian Premier League</a> 2025 opener at Eden Gardens witnessed a dramatic moment when an ardent fan breached security and rushed onto the field to touch <a href="https://www.wionews.com/tags/virat-kohli">Virat Kohli</a>&rsquo;s feet. The incident occurred during Royal Challengers Bengaluru&rsquo;s (RCB) match against Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR), leaving players and security personnel stunned.
As Kohli was standing on the pitch after completing his fifty, an enthusiastic spectator dashed onto the field, bypassing multiple layers of security. The pitch invader immediately fell to his knees and grabbed Kohli&rsquo;s feet, refusing to let go for several moments. The emotional moment, captured on live television, quickly went viral on social media.
Also Read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/cricket/ipl-2025-why-not-use-it-krunal-pandya-on-his-surprise-bouncer-to-venkatesh-iyer-8881365">IPL 2025: 'Why not use it?'&ndash; Krunal Pandya on his surprise bouncer to Venkatesh Iyer</a>
Despite the sudden intrusion, Kohli remained composed and gently gestured for the fan to move away. Security personnel soon intervened, escorting the individual off the field. The entire episode disrupted play briefly but highlighted the immense admiration that Kohli commands among cricket fans worldwide.
<h2>Watch the video here:</h2>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-media-max-width="560">
MrBeast wasn&rsquo;t wrong when he said Indians worship Virat Kohli.🥹❤️ <a href="https://t.co/XHVwYd5tQY">pic.twitter.com/XHVwYd5tQY</a>
&mdash; Nikhil (@TheCric8Boy) <a href="https://twitter.com/TheCric8Boy/status/1903499236890853857?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 22, 2025</a></blockquote>
This isn&rsquo;t the first time a fan has shown such devotion to Kohli, but it certainly stands out due to the sheer determination displayed by the intruder. The video of the incident has been widely shared across various platforms, with many praising Kohli&rsquo;s calm demeanor and others questioning the stadium&rsquo;s security measures.
The breach raised concerns about safety protocols at high-profile cricket matches, especially in packed venues like <a href="https://www.wionews.com/tags/eden-gardens">Eden Gardens</a>. The IPL authorities and stadium officials are expected to review security arrangements to prevent such incidents in the future.
Meanwhile, on the cricketing front, Kohli&rsquo;s innings played a crucial role in RCB&rsquo;s performance in the high-voltage clash against KKR. His return to Eden Gardens was marked by another masterclass with the bat, further solidifying his stature as one of the league&rsquo;s biggest icons.

Sports, Cricket: During the match, a fan breached security and went inside he ground to meet him. He touched Kohli's feet and refused to let go of the star

The Indian Premier League 2025 opener at Eden Gardens witnessed a dramatic moment when an ardent fan breached security and rushed onto the field to touch Virat Kohli’s feet. The incident occurred during Royal Challengers Bengaluru’s (RCB) match against Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR), leaving players and security personnel stunned. As Kohli was standing on the pitch after completing his fifty, an enthusiastic spectator dashed onto the field, bypassing multiple layers of security. The pitch invader immediately fell to his knees and grabbed Kohli’s feet, refusing to let go for several moments. The emotional moment, captured on live television, quickly went viral on social media. Also Read: IPL 2025: 'Why not use it?'– Krunal Pandya on his surprise bouncer to Venkatesh Iyer Despite the sudden intrusion, Kohli remained composed and gently gestured for the fan to move away. Security personnel soon intervened, escorting the individual off the field. The entire episode disrupted play briefly but highlighted the immense admiration that Kohli commands among cricket fans worldwide. Watch the video here: MrBeast wasn’t wrong when he said Indians worship Virat Kohli.🥹❤️ pic.twitter.com/XHVwYd5tQY — Nikhil (@TheCric8Boy) March 22, 2025 This isn’t the first time a fan has shown such devotion to Kohli, but it certainly stands out due to the sheer determination displayed by the intruder. The video of the incident has been widely shared across various platforms, with many praising Kohli’s calm demeanor and others questioning the stadium’s security measures. The breach raised concerns about safety protocols at high-profile cricket matches, especially in packed venues like Eden Gardens. The IPL authorities and stadium officials are expected to review security arrangements to prevent such incidents in the future. Meanwhile, on the cricketing front, Kohli’s innings played a crucial role in RCB’s performance in the high-voltage clash against KKR. His return to Eden Gardens was marked by another masterclass with the bat, further solidifying his stature as one of the league’s biggest icons.

IPL 2025: Fan breaches security at Eden Gardens to touch Virat Kohli's feet during KKR-RCB opener-WATCH

Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) all-rounder <a href="https://www.wionews.com/tags/krunal-pandya">Krunal Pandya</a> shared his thought process behind delivering an unexpected bouncer to <a href="https://www.wionews.com/tags/kolkata-knight-riders">Kolkata Knight Riders</a> (KKR) batter Venkatesh Iyer during the opening match of Indian Premier League 2025.
In the 12th over of KKR&rsquo;s innings, Venkatesh walked to the crease without wearing a helmet. Sensing an opportunity, Krunal bowled a sharp bouncer. However, Venkatesh read it early and avoided any trouble. The very next ball, now with his helmet on, the southpaw attempted a wristy shot but ended up dragging the ball onto his stumps.
Speaking about his strategy in the post-match presentation, Krunal said, "Whether it's a wide yorker or a bouncer, if you have something in your arsenal, why not use it?"
Also Read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/cricket/ipl-2025-learning-from-the-best-rcb-captain-applauds-virat-kohlis-unbeaten-fifty-in-curtain-raiser-8881337">IPL 2025: 'Learning from the best', RCB captain applauds Virat Kohli&rsquo;s unbeaten fifty in curtain-raiser</a>
Krunal&rsquo;s brilliance wasn&rsquo;t limited to that one dismissal. Earlier, he claimed the crucial wicket of KKR captain Ajinkya Rahane, who was in destructive form, striking boundaries with ease. Rahane, on 56 off 31 balls, miscued a shot straight into the hands of Rasikh Salam, courtesy of Krunal&rsquo;s well-crafted plan.
The left-arm spinner wrapped up his spell with another key scalp, clean bowling <a href="https://www.wionews.com/tags/rinku-singh">Rinku Singh</a> with a quicker delivery that skidded past the batter&rsquo;s attempted pull shot. Finishing with figures of 3/29, Krunal was named Player of the Match for his match-winning performance.
<h2>'My focus is on bowling quicker'</h2>
Reflecting on his approach, he emphasised the importance of adaptability in modern cricket.&nbsp;"When you play in front of such a big crowd, you have to narrow your focus. If I get hit, it should be off a good ball. Batters today have the skill to hit sixes consistently, so as a bowler, you need to evolve. That&rsquo;s why I focus on bowling quicker and using variations. Change of pace isn&rsquo;t just for pacers; I try it too," he explained.
Krunal, who was acquired by RCB from Lucknow Super Giants for $66 million in the mega auction, also spoke about his short but thrilling stint with the franchise so far:&nbsp;"It&rsquo;s been amazing. The energy around RCB is unreal. Even in domestic cricket, you hear fans chanting &lsquo;RCB.&rsquo; It&rsquo;s been just 10 days since I joined, and I&rsquo;m loving it."
Thanks to Krunal&rsquo;s stellar bowling, KKR managed only 174/8. In response, RCB&rsquo;s opening duo of Virat Kohli and Philip Salt set the stage for an easy chase, stitching together a commanding 95-run partnership.
(With inputs from agencies)

Sports, Cricket: In the 12th over of KKR’s innings, Venkatesh walked to the crease without wearing a helmet. Sensing an opportunity, Krunal bowled a sharp bouncer

Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) all-rounder Krunal Pandya shared his thought process behind delivering an unexpected bouncer to Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) batter Venkatesh Iyer during the opening match of Indian Premier League 2025. In the 12th over of KKR’s innings, Venkatesh walked to the crease without wearing a helmet. Sensing an opportunity, Krunal bowled a sharp bouncer. However, Venkatesh read it early and avoided any trouble. The very next ball, now with his helmet on, the southpaw attempted a wristy shot but ended up dragging the ball onto his stumps. Speaking about his strategy in the post-match presentation, Krunal said, "Whether it's a wide yorker or a bouncer, if you have something in your arsenal, why not use it?" Also Read: IPL 2025: 'Learning from the best', RCB captain applauds Virat Kohli’s unbeaten fifty in curtain-raiser Krunal’s brilliance wasn’t limited to that one dismissal. Earlier, he claimed the crucial wicket of KKR captain Ajinkya Rahane, who was in destructive form, striking boundaries with ease. Rahane, on 56 off 31 balls, miscued a shot straight into the hands of Rasikh Salam, courtesy of Krunal’s well-crafted plan. The left-arm spinner wrapped up his spell with another key scalp, clean bowling Rinku Singh with a quicker delivery that skidded past the batter’s attempted pull shot. Finishing with figures of 3/29, Krunal was named Player of the Match for his match-winning performance. 'My focus is on bowling quicker' Reflecting on his approach, he emphasised the importance of adaptability in modern cricket. "When you play in front of such a big crowd, you have to narrow your focus. If I get hit, it should be off a good ball. Batters today have the skill to hit sixes consistently, so as a bowler, you need to evolve. That’s why I focus on bowling quicker and using variations. Change of pace isn’t just for pacers; I try it too," he explained. Krunal, who was acquired by RCB from Lucknow Super Giants for $66 million in the mega auction, also spoke about his short but thrilling stint with the franchise so far: "It’s been amazing. The energy around RCB is unreal. Even in domestic cricket, you hear fans chanting ‘RCB.’ It’s been just 10 days since I joined, and I’m loving it." Thanks to Krunal’s stellar bowling, KKR managed only 174/8. In response, RCB’s opening duo of Virat Kohli and Philip Salt set the stage for an easy chase, stitching together a commanding 95-run partnership. (With inputs from agencies)

IPL 2025: 'Why not use it?'– Krunal Pandya on his surprise bouncer to Venkatesh Iyer

Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) began their <a href="https://www.wionews.com/tags/indian-premier-league">Indian Premier League</a> (IPL) 2025 campaign with a commanding seven-wicket victory over defending champions Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) at the Eden Gardens. Skipper <a href="https://www.wionews.com/tags/rajat-patidar">Rajat Patidar</a> celebrated his debut as RCB captain with a memorable win, while <a href="https://www.wionews.com/tags/ajinkya-rahane">Ajinkya Rahane</a> faced defeat in his first match as KKR skipper.
Following the match, Patidar praised star batter <a href="https://www.wionews.com/tags/virat-kohli">Virat Kohli</a> for his unbeaten knock, which played a crucial role in the victory. "There was pressure, but it was a good day for me. If we keep winning like this, it will be even better. I fully backed Suyash despite him conceding runs because he was our main wicket-taker. Credit goes to the bowlers for their courage and determination. Having a player like Kohli in the team is a great opportunity for me to learn from one of the best in the game," Patidar said at the post-match presentation.
Also Read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/cricket/ipl-2025-kkr-captain-ajinkya-rahane-pinpoints-game-changing-moment-in-defeat-against-rcb-8881320">IPL 2025: KKR captain Ajinkya Rahane pinpoints game-changing moment in defeat against RCB</a>
Kohli remained unbeaten on 59 off 36 balls, hitting four boundaries and three sixes. With this innings, he became the third batter to score 1,000 runs against KKR, joining David Warner (1,093) and Rohit Sharma (1,070).
<h2>King Kohli honoured</h2>
Before the season opener, Kohli was honored with an 'IPL 18' memento by BCCI president Roger Binny, recognising his long-standing contribution to the league. Having been with RCB since the tournament's inception, Kohli is the highest run-scorer in IPL history, making 8,004 runs in 252 matches, including eight centuries and 55 half-centuries. His phenomenal 2016 season, where he scored 973 runs with four centuries, remains unmatched, though an IPL title has eluded him.
The match also marked Kohli&rsquo;s 400th appearance in T20 cricket. Before the felicitation, he delighted fans by dancing with Bollywood superstar Shah Rukh Khan. Shah Rukh welcomed Kohli on stage with an electrifying introduction: "The King of 22 yards and a billion hearts. Let's hear it for the GOAT, Virat Kohli."
(With inputs from agencies)

Sports, Cricket: Kohli remained unbeaten on 59. With this innings, he became the third batter to score 1,000 runs against KKR, joining David Warner and Rohit Sharma

Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) began their Indian Premier League (IPL) 2025 campaign with a commanding seven-wicket victory over defending champions Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) at the Eden Gardens. Skipper Rajat Patidar celebrated his debut as RCB captain with a memorable win, while Ajinkya Rahane faced defeat in his first match as KKR skipper. Following the match, Patidar praised star batter Virat Kohli for his unbeaten knock, which played a crucial role in the victory. "There was pressure, but it was a good day for me. If we keep winning like this, it will be even better. I fully backed Suyash despite him conceding runs because he was our main wicket-taker. Credit goes to the bowlers for their courage and determination. Having a player like Kohli in the team is a great opportunity for me to learn from one of the best in the game," Patidar said at the post-match presentation. Also Read: IPL 2025: KKR captain Ajinkya Rahane pinpoints game-changing moment in defeat against RCB Kohli remained unbeaten on 59 off 36 balls, hitting four boundaries and three sixes. With this innings, he became the third batter to score 1,000 runs against KKR, joining David Warner (1,093) and Rohit Sharma (1,070). King Kohli honoured Before the season opener, Kohli was honored with an 'IPL 18' memento by BCCI president Roger Binny, recognising his long-standing contribution to the league. Having been with RCB since the tournament's inception, Kohli is the highest run-scorer in IPL history, making 8,004 runs in 252 matches, including eight centuries and 55 half-centuries. His phenomenal 2016 season, where he scored 973 runs with four centuries, remains unmatched, though an IPL title has eluded him. The match also marked Kohli’s 400th appearance in T20 cricket. Before the felicitation, he delighted fans by dancing with Bollywood superstar Shah Rukh Khan. Shah Rukh welcomed Kohli on stage with an electrifying introduction: "The King of 22 yards and a billion hearts. Let's hear it for the GOAT, Virat Kohli." (With inputs from agencies)

IPL 2025: 'Learning from the best', RCB captain applauds Virat Kohli’s unbeaten fifty in curtain-raiser

In a disappointing start to their <a href="https://www.wionews.com/tags/indian-premier-league">Indian Premier League</a> (IPL) campaign, <a href="https://www.wionews.com/tags/kolkata-knight-riders">Kolkata Knight Riders</a> (KKR) suffered a 7-wicket defeat against Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) at Eden Gardens. Captain <a href="https://www.wionews.com/tags/ajinkya-rahane">Ajinkya Rahane</a> pointed to a crucial moment in the first innings that shifted the game&rsquo;s momentum away from the defending champions.
After being put in to bat, KKR struggled early against Josh Hazlewood&rsquo;s sharp bowling. However, Rahane and Sunil Narine counterattacked, propelling the team to a promising 107/1 in 9.5 overs. Just when KKR seemed poised for a big total, RCB struck back. Rasikh Salam dismissed Narine for 44, opening the floodgates. Krunal Pandya then inflicted further damage, removing key batters in quick succession, leaving KKR stumbling at 145/5.
Also Read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/cricket/ipl-2025-be-wary-of-srh-approach-will-be-ultra-aggressive-coach-daniel-vettori-to-all-teams-8880748">IPL 2025: Be wary of SRH's ultra-aggressive approach, coach Daniel Vettori warns all teams</a>
Rahane reflected on this phase as the moment that derailed their innings. &ldquo;We were going well till the 13th over, but those 2-3 quick wickets completely changed the momentum. Venky (Venkatesh Iyer) and I believed 200-210 was possible, but after those dismissals, we couldn't recover,&rdquo; Rahane said in the post-match presentation.
<h2>Rahane optimistic&nbsp;</h2>
KKR eventually managed only 174/8, a total that proved insufficient against RCB&rsquo;s explosive batting. Openers Philip Salt and Virat Kohli dismantled KKR&rsquo;s bowling attack, putting on a 95-run stand that silenced the Eden Gardens crowd and shifted the chants in RCB&rsquo;s favor. With a commanding chase, RCB cruised to victory with seven wickets in hand.
Despite the loss, Rahane remained optimistic about improving in key areas. &ldquo;We don&rsquo;t want to dwell too much on this game, but we&rsquo;ll look to get better in certain aspects,&rdquo; he added.
As KKR regroups for the next match, addressing their mid-innings collapse and bowling vulnerabilities will be crucial in bouncing back from this setback.
(With inputs from agencies)

Sports, Cricket: Just when Kolkata Knight Riders seemed poised for a big total, RCB struck back. Rasikh Salam dismissed Sunil Narine for 44, opening the floodgates

In a disappointing start to their Indian Premier League (IPL) campaign, Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) suffered a 7-wicket defeat against Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) at Eden Gardens. Captain Ajinkya Rahane pointed to a crucial moment in the first innings that shifted the game’s momentum away from the defending champions. After being put in to bat, KKR struggled early against Josh Hazlewood’s sharp bowling. However, Rahane and Sunil Narine counterattacked, propelling the team to a promising 107/1 in 9.5 overs. Just when KKR seemed poised for a big total, RCB struck back. Rasikh Salam dismissed Narine for 44, opening the floodgates. Krunal Pandya then inflicted further damage, removing key batters in quick succession, leaving KKR stumbling at 145/5. Also Read: IPL 2025: Be wary of SRH's ultra-aggressive approach, coach Daniel Vettori warns all teams Rahane reflected on this phase as the moment that derailed their innings. “We were going well till the 13th over, but those 2-3 quick wickets completely changed the momentum. Venky (Venkatesh Iyer) and I believed 200-210 was possible, but after those dismissals, we couldn't recover,” Rahane said in the post-match presentation. Rahane optimistic KKR eventually managed only 174/8, a total that proved insufficient against RCB’s explosive batting. Openers Philip Salt and Virat Kohli dismantled KKR’s bowling attack, putting on a 95-run stand that silenced the Eden Gardens crowd and shifted the chants in RCB’s favor. With a commanding chase, RCB cruised to victory with seven wickets in hand. Despite the loss, Rahane remained optimistic about improving in key areas. “We don’t want to dwell too much on this game, but we’ll look to get better in certain aspects,” he added. As KKR regroups for the next match, addressing their mid-innings collapse and bowling vulnerabilities will be crucial in bouncing back from this setback. (With inputs from agencies)

IPL 2025: KKR captain Ajinkya Rahane pinpoints game-changing moment in defeat against RCB

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/tags/virat-kohli" rel="dofollow">Virat Kohli</a> scored his first fifty of the season, an unbeaten 59, but Krunal Pandya&rsquo;s heroics with the ball in the first innings laid the platform for a comfortable win for the RCB over KKR in the <a href="https://www.wionews.com/tags/ipl-2025" rel="dofollow">IPL 2025</a> opener. On Saturday (Mar 22) at the Eden Gardens in Kolkata, Bengaluru prevailed by seven wickets, as <a href="https://www.wionews.com/tags/rajat-patidar" rel="dofollow">Rajat Patidar</a> began his captaincy tenure with a victory.
KKR vs RCB at the Eden was always going to be a blockbuster, and it didn&rsquo;t disappoint. Game one of IPL 2025 was a cracker but heartbreak for the home fans as KKR lost their first match of the season.
Also read | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/cricket/ipl-2025-be-wary-of-srh-approach-will-be-ultra-aggressive-coach-daniel-vettori-to-all-teams-8880748" rel="dofollow">IPL 2025: Be wary of SRH's ultra-aggressive approach, coach Daniel Vettori warns all teams</a>
Sent to bat first after losing the toss, KKR lost opener Quinton de Kock inside the first over. Newly-appointed captain Ajinkya Rahane and Sunil Narine steadied the ship, with Rahane taking all bowlers to cleaners. He smashed the first six of the tournament, adding three more in his 103-run stand with Narine for the second wicket.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet publive-iframes-block publive-Twitter-block" contenteditable="false" width="600" height="400" id="PL_blockquote_block-m8khsqm4-y3co0t2u-03hsdexv">
MAXIMUM! 🔥<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/AjinkyaRahane?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#AjinkyaRahane</a> picks the length early and whacks <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/RasikhSalam?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#RasikhSalam</a> for the first six of <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/TATAIPL?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#TATAIPL</a> 2025! 🙌🏻 Watch LIVE action: <a href="https://t.co/iB1oqMusYv">https://t.co/iB1oqMusYv</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/IPLonJioStar?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#IPLonJioStar</a> 👉 <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/KKRvRCB?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#KKRvRCB</a>, LIVE NOW on Star Sports Network &amp; JioHotstar! <a href="https://t.co/JhVhuON09F">pic.twitter.com/JhVhuON09F</a>
&mdash; Star Sports (@StarSportsIndia) <a href="https://twitter.com/StarSportsIndia/status/1903452936656806202?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 22, 2025</a></blockquote>
Though KKR looked like crossing the 200-run-mark at one stage, they scored 174/8 in 20 overs, courtesy of some brilliant bowling and captaincy from RCB.&nbsp;
Krunal impressed everyone with his clutch spell, picking three wickets for 29 runs, while others also chipped in with a wicket each. Seamer Josh Hazlewood grabbed two on his return to competitive cricket.
<h2>Salt, Kohli pull off 7-wicket chase for RCB</h2>
RCB has had several powerful opening pairs over the years, but this new one of England&rsquo;s Phil Salt and batting giant Virat Kohli looks like a real deal. The batting duo clicked from the offset - similar to how they did during the pre-season camp, hammering KKR bowlers to all parts.&nbsp;While Salt took the onus early on, Kohli joined him soon after, smashing KKR debutant Spencer Johnson for massive sixes in the same over.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet publive-iframes-block publive-Twitter-block" contenteditable="false" width="600" height="400" id="PL_blockquote_block-m8khqrol-wkt6on83-l350mh9k">
A stroke which had class written all over it! 😍<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/ViratKohli?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#ViratKohli</a> lifts an overpitched delivery effortlessly for a sublime six! 🫰🏻 Watch LIVE action: <a href="https://t.co/iB1oqMusYv">https://t.co/iB1oqMusYv</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/IPLonJioStar?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#IPLonJioStar</a> 👉 <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/KKRvRCB?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#KKRvRCB</a>, LIVE NOW on Star Sports Network &amp; JioHotstar! <a href="https://t.co/zIapSr0RNj">pic.twitter.com/zIapSr0RNj</a>
&mdash; Star Sports (@StarSportsIndia) <a href="https://twitter.com/StarSportsIndia/status/1903484861488537658?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 22, 2025</a></blockquote>
However, what broke KKR&rsquo;s back was Salt&rsquo;s assault against premier spinner Varun Chakaravarthy in his first two overs. The pair added 95 for the first wicket before Varun had Salt&rsquo;s number on 56.
RCB sent in the Impact Player Devdutt Padikkal at three, but that trick failed.&nbsp;Captain Rajat Patidar joined Kohli in the middle and began bashing from the word go, crushing early jitters.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet publive-iframes-block publive-Twitter-block" contenteditable="false" width="600" height="400" id="PL_blockquote_block-m8khrrvs-bo2fd7o2-1l8g3tph">
And the skipper joins the party! ❤<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/RajatPatidar?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#RajatPatidar</a> smashes <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/SunilNarine?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#SunilNarine</a> over long for a beautiful MAXIMUM! 🙌🏻 Watch LIVE action: <a href="https://t.co/iB1oqMusYv">https://t.co/iB1oqMusYv</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/IPLonJioStar?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#IPLonJioStar</a> 👉 <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/KKRvRCB?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#KKRvRCB</a>, LIVE NOW on Star Sports Network &amp; JioHotstar! <a href="https://t.co/OBtBfFkr00">pic.twitter.com/OBtBfFkr00</a>
&mdash; Star Sports (@StarSportsIndia) <a href="https://twitter.com/StarSportsIndia/status/1903495597191225634?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 22, 2025</a></blockquote>
He, however, got out playing the glory shot, with English all-rounder Liam Livingstone completing the formalities, scoring an unbeaten 15 off five balls, including two fours and a six.&nbsp;

Cricket, Sports: Krunal Pandya picked three for 29 in the first innings, helping RCB restrict KKR to 174 for eight in the tournament opener at Eden Gardens.

Virat Kohli scored his first fifty of the season, an unbeaten 59, but Krunal Pandya’s heroics with the ball in the first innings laid the platform for a comfortable win for the RCB over KKR in the IPL 2025 opener. On Saturday (Mar 22) at the Eden Gardens in Kolkata, Bengaluru prevailed by seven wickets, as Rajat Patidar began his captaincy tenure with a victory. KKR vs RCB at the Eden was always going to be a blockbuster, and it didn’t disappoint. Game one of IPL 2025 was a cracker but heartbreak for the home fans as KKR lost their first match of the season. Also read | IPL 2025: Be wary of SRH's ultra-aggressive approach, coach Daniel Vettori warns all teams Sent to bat first after losing the toss, KKR lost opener Quinton de Kock inside the first over. Newly-appointed captain Ajinkya Rahane and Sunil Narine steadied the ship, with Rahane taking all bowlers to cleaners. He smashed the first six of the tournament, adding three more in his 103-run stand with Narine for the second wicket. MAXIMUM! 🔥#AjinkyaRahane picks the length early and whacks #RasikhSalam for the first six of #TATAIPL 2025! 🙌🏻 Watch LIVE action: https://t.co/iB1oqMusYv #IPLonJioStar 👉 #KKRvRCB, LIVE NOW on Star Sports Network & JioHotstar! pic.twitter.com/JhVhuON09F — Star Sports (@StarSportsIndia) March 22, 2025 Though KKR looked like crossing the 200-run-mark at one stage, they scored 174/8 in 20 overs, courtesy of some brilliant bowling and captaincy from RCB. Krunal impressed everyone with his clutch spell, picking three wickets for 29 runs, while others also chipped in with a wicket each. Seamer Josh Hazlewood grabbed two on his return to competitive cricket. Salt, Kohli pull off 7-wicket chase for RCB RCB has had several powerful opening pairs over the years, but this new one of England’s Phil Salt and batting giant Virat Kohli looks like a real deal. The batting duo clicked from the offset - similar to how they did during the pre-season camp, hammering KKR bowlers to all parts. While Salt took the onus early on, Kohli joined him soon after, smashing KKR debutant Spencer Johnson for massive sixes in the same over. A stroke which had class written all over it! 😍#ViratKohli lifts an overpitched delivery effortlessly for a sublime six! 🫰🏻 Watch LIVE action: https://t.co/iB1oqMusYv #IPLonJioStar 👉 #KKRvRCB, LIVE NOW on Star Sports Network & JioHotstar! pic.twitter.com/zIapSr0RNj — Star Sports (@StarSportsIndia) March 22, 2025 However, what broke KKR’s back was Salt’s assault against premier spinner Varun Chakaravarthy in his first two overs. The pair added 95 for the first wicket before Varun had Salt’s number on 56. RCB sent in the Impact Player Devdutt Padikkal at three, but that trick failed. Captain Rajat Patidar joined Kohli in the middle and began bashing from the word go, crushing early jitters. And the skipper joins the party! ❤#RajatPatidar smashes #SunilNarine over long for a beautiful MAXIMUM! 🙌🏻 Watch LIVE action: https://t.co/iB1oqMusYv #IPLonJioStar 👉 #KKRvRCB, LIVE NOW on Star Sports Network & JioHotstar! pic.twitter.com/OBtBfFkr00 — Star Sports (@StarSportsIndia) March 22, 2025 He, however, got out playing the glory shot, with English all-rounder Liam Livingstone completing the formalities, scoring an unbeaten 15 off five balls, including two fours and a six.

KKR vs RCB: Kohli, Krunal power Bengaluru to comfortable win in IPL 2025 opener

Nothing is stopping <a href="https://www.wionews.com/tags/sunrisers-hyderabad-srh" rel="dofollow">SunRisers Hyderabad (SRH)</a> from bettering their last season&rsquo;s result, coach Daniel Vettori said ahead of their tournament opener against Rajasthan Royals in <a href="https://www.wionews.com/tags/ipl-2025" rel="dofollow">IPL 2025</a>. However, that&rsquo;s not even the most worrying warning for all teams; Vettori added that SRH&rsquo;s batting, which made headlines last season for deploying a fearless approach, will remain ultra-aggressive this season.
SRH scored the bulk of runs last season, including registering three of the top five highest team totals, the first two being the most in tournament history. Their attacking approach crushed everyone coming their way, barring the Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR), which beat them to win their third IPL title.
Also read | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/cricket/ipl-2025-adam-gilchrist-picks-orange-cap-contender-backs-ponting-iyer-to-change-pbks-fortunes-8880644" rel="dofollow">IPL 2025: Gilchrist picks orange cap contender; backs Ponting-Iyer to change PBKS fortunes</a>
With Travis Head and Abhishek Sharma at the top and Ishan Kishan, Nitish Kumar Reddy and Heinrich Klaasen coming down the order, SRH perhaps has the most-daunting batting top five this season, with Vettori sending warning signs to all teams to remain beware.
"Whatever ground we go to, we have an understanding that the batting team is going to be aggressive. The only thing that can mitigate that is the pitch, but most times, the pitches in IPL are very flat,&rdquo; Vettori said at the pre-game presser.
Vettori said the teams know what to expect from the IPL venues as they prepare strategies accordingly. The former New Zealand captain added that team skipper Pat Cummins cleared the agenda earlier, informing everyone of the template they wish to follow this season.
"When you come to these grounds, you know exactly what to expect. You know how the batsmen are going come against you. It's quite&hellip;..maybe not fun is the right word; it's a good challenge for a bowling group to try and work their way through that.
"That's what Pat [Cummins, the captain] addressed the bowling group the other day. He said the expectation is on the batters to do all the work, score the runs, and the bowlers can sort of feed into that. If we get those days to make it all work, it's going go a long way in us winning games. The onus on the batting group to score runs and for the bowlers to be able to mitigate that,&rdquo; he continued.
<h2>&lsquo;Expectations bring excitement&rsquo;</h2>
SRH came close to winning their second IPL title last year, only for them to falter on the day when it mattered the most.&nbsp;
Also read | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/cricket/watch-ms-dhoni-shares-light-moment-with-hardik-pandya-ahead-of-marquee-csk-mi-ipl-2025-clash-8880461" rel="dofollow">Watch &ndash; MS Dhoni shares light moment with Hardik Pandya ahead of CSK-MI clash</a>
Come IPL 2025, fans are expecting them to go one notch ahead and clinch the trophy.&nbsp;
"Expectations bring some excitement," he said. "Expectations are built around the performances of last year and the quality of the team we've been able to put together at the back end of last season and into the auction.
"As a franchise, we're really excited about the season because we have that foundation from the five players [Cummins, Heinrich Klaasen, Nitish Reddy, Travis Head and Abhishek Sharma] we retained, and how well they performed last year, hopefully, we have the squad to perform as well this year if not better,&rdquo; Vettori noted.&nbsp;
(With inputs from agencies)

Sports, Cricket: SRH scored the bulk of runs last season, including registering three of the top five highest team totals, the first two being the most ever in IPL.

Nothing is stopping SunRisers Hyderabad (SRH) from bettering their last season’s result, coach Daniel Vettori said ahead of their tournament opener against Rajasthan Royals in IPL 2025. However, that’s not even the most worrying warning for all teams; Vettori added that SRH’s batting, which made headlines last season for deploying a fearless approach, will remain ultra-aggressive this season. SRH scored the bulk of runs last season, including registering three of the top five highest team totals, the first two being the most in tournament history. Their attacking approach crushed everyone coming their way, barring the Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR), which beat them to win their third IPL title. Also read | IPL 2025: Gilchrist picks orange cap contender; backs Ponting-Iyer to change PBKS fortunes With Travis Head and Abhishek Sharma at the top and Ishan Kishan, Nitish Kumar Reddy and Heinrich Klaasen coming down the order, SRH perhaps has the most-daunting batting top five this season, with Vettori sending warning signs to all teams to remain beware. "Whatever ground we go to, we have an understanding that the batting team is going to be aggressive. The only thing that can mitigate that is the pitch, but most times, the pitches in IPL are very flat,” Vettori said at the pre-game presser. Vettori said the teams know what to expect from the IPL venues as they prepare strategies accordingly. The former New Zealand captain added that team skipper Pat Cummins cleared the agenda earlier, informing everyone of the template they wish to follow this season. "When you come to these grounds, you know exactly what to expect. You know how the batsmen are going come against you. It's quite…..maybe not fun is the right word; it's a good challenge for a bowling group to try and work their way through that. "That's what Pat [Cummins, the captain] addressed the bowling group the other day. He said the expectation is on the batters to do all the work, score the runs, and the bowlers can sort of feed into that. If we get those days to make it all work, it's going go a long way in us winning games. The onus on the batting group to score runs and for the bowlers to be able to mitigate that,” he continued. ‘Expectations bring excitement’ SRH came close to winning their second IPL title last year, only for them to falter on the day when it mattered the most. Also read | Watch – MS Dhoni shares light moment with Hardik Pandya ahead of CSK-MI clash Come IPL 2025, fans are expecting them to go one notch ahead and clinch the trophy. "Expectations bring some excitement," he said. "Expectations are built around the performances of last year and the quality of the team we've been able to put together at the back end of last season and into the auction. "As a franchise, we're really excited about the season because we have that foundation from the five players [Cummins, Heinrich Klaasen, Nitish Reddy, Travis Head and Abhishek Sharma] we retained, and how well they performed last year, hopefully, we have the squad to perform as well this year if not better,” Vettori noted. (With inputs from agencies)

IPL 2025: Be wary of SRH's ultra-aggressive approach, coach Daniel Vettori warns all teams

Former IPL-winning captain <a href="https://www.wionews.com/tags/adam-gilchrist-0" rel="dofollow">Adam Gilchrist</a> has picked his orange cap contender for the 18th edition while backing the new leadership at Punjab Kings (PBKS) to change the team&rsquo;s fortune for good. Gilchrist won the IPL in 2009 with the now-defunct Deccan Chargers but failed to lead the Punjab side to glory during his stint. He, however, dropped ground-breaking revelations about how the management was erratic and acted like a handbrake when he led them.
"There&rsquo;s still the same ownership when I was the captain of that particular franchise, and it was somewhat erratic at times, and that might be the handbrake for them for a long while," the former PBKS captain Gilchrist said on the YouTube show Club Prairie Fire.
Also read | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/cricket/watch-ms-dhoni-shares-light-moment-with-hardik-pandya-ahead-of-marquee-csk-mi-ipl-2025-clash-8880461" rel="dofollow">Watch &ndash; MS Dhoni shares light moment with Hardik Pandya ahead of CSK-MI clash</a>
Meanwhile, Punjab Kings have a new head coach - Ricky Ponting, and skipper - <a href="https://www.wionews.com/tags/shreyas-iyer" rel="dofollow">Shreyas Iyer</a>, heading into <a href="https://www.wionews.com/tags/ipl-2025" rel="dofollow">IPL 2025</a>, and Gilchrist believes with Punter around, as fans used to call Ponting, he can help settle PBKS&rsquo; sinking ship. PBKS is among the only three IPL teams, alongside the Delhi Capitals and Royal Challengers Bengaluru, to have never won a title.
Throwing weight behind this new pairing of Iyer and Ponting at PBKS, Gilchrist said considering they had worked previously, they know how to function in tandem, something that might click for the team.
&ldquo;I think the combination of Ricky Ponting and Shreyas Iyer will inspire that franchise. They have worked well together previously, and that&rsquo;s going to be the cohesive gel to bring their ownership together. But I think Ricky will settle the ship,&rdquo; Gilchrist added.
<h2>New orange cap winner</h2>
As accolades go, the player with the most runs gets the orange cap, while the purple cap is bestowed upon the highest wicket-taker. With the tournament already underway, Gilchrist picked his first choice for the orange cap holder, and without any surprises, it&rsquo;s PBKS captain Shreyas Iyer.
Considering the new-look PBKS side filled with plenty of match winners, Iyer is likely to bat at number three, a position Gilchrist feels will help stay among the runs.
&ldquo;Shreyas Iyer is going to be my Orange Cap wearer by the end of it. He is going to bat at number three. He has been talking about it and he is shifting up the order and taking on the leadership role for them,&rdquo; he continued.&nbsp;
Besides his batting number, Iyer&rsquo;s credentials as a captain will benefit PBKS this season. Under Iyer&rsquo;s leadership, Kolkata Knight Riders won the title last season.&nbsp;
However, after both parties decided to mutually part ways, PBKS bagged Iyer&rsquo;s services for a whopping $3.1m (INR 26.75 crore) &ndash; the second-most expensive player in auction history.&nbsp;
(With inputs from agencies)

Cricket, Sports: PBKS is among the only three IPL teams, alongside the Delhi Capitals and Royal Challengers Bengaluru, to have never won a title.

Former IPL-winning captain Adam Gilchrist has picked his orange cap contender for the 18th edition while backing the new leadership at Punjab Kings (PBKS) to change the team’s fortune for good. Gilchrist won the IPL in 2009 with the now-defunct Deccan Chargers but failed to lead the Punjab side to glory during his stint. He, however, dropped ground-breaking revelations about how the management was erratic and acted like a handbrake when he led them. "There’s still the same ownership when I was the captain of that particular franchise, and it was somewhat erratic at times, and that might be the handbrake for them for a long while," the former PBKS captain Gilchrist said on the YouTube show Club Prairie Fire. Also read | Watch – MS Dhoni shares light moment with Hardik Pandya ahead of CSK-MI clash Meanwhile, Punjab Kings have a new head coach - Ricky Ponting, and skipper - Shreyas Iyer, heading into IPL 2025, and Gilchrist believes with Punter around, as fans used to call Ponting, he can help settle PBKS’ sinking ship. PBKS is among the only three IPL teams, alongside the Delhi Capitals and Royal Challengers Bengaluru, to have never won a title. Throwing weight behind this new pairing of Iyer and Ponting at PBKS, Gilchrist said considering they had worked previously, they know how to function in tandem, something that might click for the team. “I think the combination of Ricky Ponting and Shreyas Iyer will inspire that franchise. They have worked well together previously, and that’s going to be the cohesive gel to bring their ownership together. But I think Ricky will settle the ship,” Gilchrist added. New orange cap winner As accolades go, the player with the most runs gets the orange cap, while the purple cap is bestowed upon the highest wicket-taker. With the tournament already underway, Gilchrist picked his first choice for the orange cap holder, and without any surprises, it’s PBKS captain Shreyas Iyer. Considering the new-look PBKS side filled with plenty of match winners, Iyer is likely to bat at number three, a position Gilchrist feels will help stay among the runs. “Shreyas Iyer is going to be my Orange Cap wearer by the end of it. He is going to bat at number three. He has been talking about it and he is shifting up the order and taking on the leadership role for them,” he continued. Besides his batting number, Iyer’s credentials as a captain will benefit PBKS this season. Under Iyer’s leadership, Kolkata Knight Riders won the title last season. However, after both parties decided to mutually part ways, PBKS bagged Iyer’s services for a whopping $3.1m (INR 26.75 crore) – the second-most expensive player in auction history. (With inputs from agencies)

IPL 2025: Gilchrist picks orange cap contender; backs Ponting-Iyer to change PBKS fortunes

KKR vs RCB, IPL 2025, Highlights:&nbsp;Virat Kohli scored his first fifty of the season, an unbeaten 59, but Krunal Pandya&rsquo;s heroics with the ball in the first innings laid the platform for a comfortable win for the RCB over KKR in the IPL 2025 opener. On Saturday (Mar 22) at the Eden Gardens in Kolkata, Bengaluru prevailed by seven wickets, as Rajat Patidar began his captaincy tenure with a victory.
<h2 class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">KKR vs RCB, IPL 2025 Highlights:</h2>
KKR vs RCB at the Eden was always going to be a blockbuster, and it didn&rsquo;t disappoint. Game one of IPL 2025 was a cracker but heartbreak for the home fans as KKR lost their first match of the season.
Sent to bat first after losing the toss, KKR lost opener Quinton de Kock inside the first over. Newly-appointed captain Ajinkya Rahane and Sunil Narine steadied the ship, with Rahane taking all bowlers to cleaners. He smashed the first six of the tournament, adding three more in his 103-run stand with Narine for the second wicket.
Though KKR looked like crossing the 200-run-mark at one stage, they scored 174/8 in 20 overs, courtesy of some brilliant bowling and captaincy from RCB.&nbsp;
Krunal impressed everyone with his clutch spell, picking three wickets for 29 runs, while others also chipped in with a wicket each. Seamer Josh Hazlewood grabbed two on his return to competitive cricket.

So we are done for the day as RCB beat KKR in the IPL 2025 opener at Eden Gardens in what is a bright start for the visitors.&nbsp;
Final Result
KKR 174/8 (20) RCB 177/3 (16.2) Royal Challengers Bengaluru won by 7 wkts

KKR vs RCB Live Score: And we are done!

Virat Kohli scored his first fifty of the season, an unbeaten 59, but Krunal Pandya&rsquo;s heroics with the ball in the first innings laid the platform for a comfortable win for the RCB over KKR in the IPL 2025 opener. On Saturday (Mar 22) at the Eden Gardens in Kolkata, Bengaluru prevailed by seven wickets, as Rajat Patidar began his captaincy tenure with a victory.

KKR vs RCB Live Score: Kohli powers RCB to win

Virat Kohli and Rajat Patidar have made light work of KKR bowlers as they continue to dazzle for RCB.&nbsp;
LIVE SCORE: RCB 162/2 (15.2) &nbsp;CRR: 10.57 &nbsp;REQ: 2.79 Royal Challengers Bengaluru need 13 runs in 28 balls KKR 174/8 (20)

KKR vs RCB Live Score: Virat-Patidar make light work of KKR

Well, the stage looks set for a big win for RCB as they look to put behind the dissapointment fo 2008 against KKR.&nbsp;
LIVE SCORE: RCB 143/2 (14.2) &nbsp;CRR: 9.98 &nbsp;REQ: 5.65 Royal Challengers Bengaluru need 32 runs in 34 balls KKR 174/8 (20)

KKR vs RCB Live Score: RCB near famous win

Virat Kohli has reached 50 his landmark 400th T20 appearance as he continues to age like a fine wine.&nbsp;
LIVE SCORE: RCB 122/2 (12.4) &nbsp;CRR: 9.63 &nbsp;REQ: 7.23 Royal Challengers Bengaluru need 53 runs in 44 balls KKR 174/8 (20)

KKR vs RCB Live Score: 50 up for Virat

Virat Kohli is nearing his fifty as RCB move a step near to win in the opening contest of the IPL 2025 season.&nbsp;
LIVE SCORE: RCB 115/1 (11) &nbsp;CRR: 10.45 &nbsp;REQ: 6.67 Royal Challengers Bengaluru need 60 runs in 54 balls KKR 174/8 (20)

KKR vs RCB Live Score: Virat on fire

RCB need 175 runs to win after a good comeback in the second half of the innings.&nbsp;
LIVE SCORE: KKR 174/8 (20) &nbsp;CRR: 8.7 Innings Break

KKR vs RCB Live Score: RCB need 175 runs to win

RCB bowlers have made a good comeback after Ajinkya Rahane and Sunil Narine had given a good start to their innings.&nbsp;
LIVE SCORE: KKR 166/6 (18.1) &nbsp;CRR: 9.14

KKR vs RCB Live Score: RCB restrict KKR

Andre Russell is back in pavilion as KKR lose sixth wicket in their innings.&nbsp;
Last Wkt:&nbsp;Andre Russell b Suyash Sharma 4(3) - 150/6 in 15.4 ov.
LIVE SCORE: KKR 150/6 (15.4) CRR:&nbsp;9.57

KKR vs RCB Live Score: Russell falls after KKR reach 150

Well KKR have lost both Ajinkya Rahane and Sunil Narine in quick succession as RCB make a mini comeback.&nbsp;
Last Wkt:&nbsp;Ajinkya Rahane c Rasikh Salam b Krunal Pandya 56(31) - 109/3 in 10.3 ov.
LIVE SCORE: KKR 110/3 (11)&nbsp;CRR:&nbsp;10

KKR vs RCB Live Score: Narine-Rahane gone

100 is already up for KKR as Narine-Rahane pairing is on fire at the Gardens.&nbsp;
LIVE SCORE: KKR 107/2 (10) &nbsp;CRR: 10.7

KKR vs RCB Live Score: 100 up for the hosts 

KKR have made a good start to their innings as they dominate the powerplays. Ajinkya Rahane was the star while Quinton de Kock was also good with the bat.&nbsp;
LIVE SCORE: KKR 68/1 (7.2) &nbsp;CRR: 9.27

KKR vs RCB Live Score: KKR dominate in powerplay

Royal Challengers Bengaluru (Playing XI): Virat Kohli, Philip Salt(w), Rajat Patidar(c), Liam Livingstone, Jitesh Sharma, Tim David, Krunal Pandya, Rasikh Dar Salam, Suyash Sharma, Josh Hazlewood, Yash Dayal
Royal Challengers Bengaluru Impact Subs: Devdutt Padikkal, Abhinandan Singh, Manoj Bhandage, Romario Shepherd, Swapnil Singh

KKR vs RCB Live Score: RCB Playing XI

Kolkata Knight Riders (Playing XI): Quinton de Kock(w), Venkatesh Iyer, Ajinkya Rahane(c), Rinku Singh, Angkrish Raghuvanshi, Sunil Narine, Andre Russell, Ramandeep Singh, Spencer Johnson, Harshit Rana, Varun Chakaravarthy.
Kolkata Knight Riders Impact Subs: Anrich Nortje, Manish Pandey, Vaibhav Arora, Anukul Roy, Luvnith Sisodia.

KKR vs RCB Live Score: KKR Playing XI

So the fans are treated to an SRK show as Indian Premier League (IPL) Season 18 kicks off in presence of dignitaries and star names.&nbsp;

KKR vs RCB Live Score: Toss coming up as SRK hosts opening ceremony

From Shreya to Disha and now we have Karan Aujla who is mesmerising the crowd at the Eden Gardens in Kolkata.&nbsp;

KKR vs RCB Live Score: Toss at 7, but stars have taken over at Eden Gardens

Shreya Ghoshal has kick started the IPL opening ceremony as the B-Town singer does what she does best. Fans are ecstatic and we are off to a great start.&nbsp;

KKR vs RCB Live Score: Shreya Ghoshal takes centre stage at Eden Gardens

We are expecting fireworks at Eden Gardens as big names like Shahrukh Khan and Disha Patani are set to peform.

KKR vs RCB Live Score: What's on offer?

Rain threat looms large on the contest at the Eden Gardens between Kolkata Knight Riders and Royal Challengers Bengaluru as both teams look to make a positive start. However, for now weather is clear and things look good to get underway.&nbsp;

KKR vs RCB Live Score: What is the weather like?

Hello and welcome to the live coverage of the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2025) opener between Kolkata Knight Riders and Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) from Eden Gardens on WION. Follow us for all the live updates on the curtain-raiser contest.

KKR vs RCB Live Score: Hello and Welcome!

KKR vs RCB, Highlights: On Saturday at the Eden Gardens in Kolkata, Bengaluru prevailed by seven wickets, as Rajat Patidar began his captaincy tenure with a victory.

KKR vs RCB, IPL 2025, Highlights: Virat Kohli scored his first fifty of the season, an unbeaten 59, but Krunal Pandya’s heroics with the ball in the first innings laid the platform for a comfortable win for the RCB over KKR in the IPL 2025 opener. On Saturday (Mar 22) at the Eden Gardens in Kolkata, Bengaluru prevailed by seven wickets, as Rajat Patidar began his captaincy tenure with a victory. KKR vs RCB, IPL 2025 Highlights: KKR vs RCB at the Eden was always going to be a blockbuster, and it didn’t disappoint. Game one of IPL 2025 was a cracker but heartbreak for the home fans as KKR lost their first match of the season. Sent to bat first after losing the toss, KKR lost opener Quinton de Kock inside the first over. Newly-appointed captain Ajinkya Rahane and Sunil Narine steadied the ship, with Rahane taking all bowlers to cleaners. He smashed the first six of the tournament, adding three more in his 103-run stand with Narine for the second wicket. Though KKR looked like crossing the 200-run-mark at one stage, they scored 174/8 in 20 overs, courtesy of some brilliant bowling and captaincy from RCB. Krunal impressed everyone with his clutch spell, picking three wickets for 29 runs, while others also chipped in with a wicket each. Seamer Josh Hazlewood grabbed two on his return to competitive cricket.

IPL 2025, KKR  vs RCB, Highlights: Virat, Krunal shine as RCB beat KKR by 7 wickets at Eden Gardens

Ahead of the <a href="https://www.wionews.com/tags/csk-vs-mi" rel="dofollow">CSK-MI</a> IPL 2025 clash at the Chepauk in Chennai on Sunday (Mar 23), two superstars &ndash; <a href="https://www.wionews.com/tags/ms-dhoni" rel="dofollow">MS Dhoni</a> and <a href="https://www.wionews.com/tags/hardik-pandya" rel="dofollow">Hardik Pandya</a>, shared a light moment during the training. Former Chennai Super Kings captain Dhoni and Mumbai Indians&rsquo; Pandya hugged midway through the practice session and giggled around as the video went viral on social media.
<h3>Watch &ndash;</h3>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet publive-iframes-block publive-Twitter-block" contenteditable="false" width="600" height="400" id="PL_blockquote_block-m8kaipzb-hcki4ajk-hsoausqc">
HP 🫂 MSD<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/MumbaiIndians?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#MumbaiIndians</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/PlayLikeMumbai?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#PlayLikeMumbai</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/TATAIPL?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#TATAIPL</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/CSKvMI?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#CSKvMI</a> [Hardik Pandya, MS Dhoni] <a href="https://t.co/JtCDgnShBq">pic.twitter.com/JtCDgnShBq</a>
&mdash; Mumbai Indians (@mipaltan) <a href="https://twitter.com/mipaltan/status/1903438955498103272?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 22, 2025</a></blockquote>
While MI&rsquo;s captain Pandya will miss his team&rsquo;s tournament opener against fierce rivals CSK, Dhoni, 43, will hog all the limelight in potentially his last season as an active IPL cricketer. In Pandya&rsquo;s absence, star batter Suryakumar Yadav will captain Mumbai (against Chennai), while Ruturaj Gaikwad will walk out at the toss as CSK's skipper.
Also read | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/cricket/ipl-2025-record-breaker-gibbs-doesnt-think-scoring-300-in-an-inning-is-biggest-achievement-8880269" rel="dofollow">IPL 2025: Record-breaker Gibbs doesn&rsquo;t think scoring 300 in an inning is biggest achievement</a>
<h2>CSK-MI in IPL 2025</h2>
The two most successful IPL teams, having won five titles each, will square off in Chennai on Sunday evening in the first marquee match of the tournament. Unlike the previous season, where CSK-MI faced off only once (at Wankhede), the two heavyweights will meet twice in IPL 2025, the second of which is scheduled (for April 20) in Mumbai.
For Mumbai Indians, ace seamer Jasprit Bumrah will miss the action as he recovers from the back spasm suffered on the Australian tour in January. Although he came close to attaining full fitness and earning an India recall for the recently concluded Champions Trophy, a last-minute lapse in his recovery forced the selectors to overlook him for the first showpiece event of the year.
Per the latest reports, Bumrah returned to the National Cricket Academy (NCA) in Bengaluru a week after making his first visit since getting ruled out. Bumrah has resumed bowling at the NCA nets, preparing for his anticipated return to competitive cricket.
Predicted XIs of CSK and MI &ndash;
CSK &ndash; Ruturaj Gaikwad (captain), Devon Conway/Rachin Ravindra, Rahul Tripathi, Shivam Dube, Sam Curran, Ravindra Jadeja, MS Dhoni (wk), Ravichandran Ashwin, Shreyas Gopal, Khaleel Ahmed and Matheesha Pathirana
MI &ndash; Rohit Sharma, Ryan Rickelton (wk), Will Jacks, Suryakumar Yadav (captain), Tilak Varma, Robin Minz, Raj Bawa/Naman Dhir, Mitchell Santner, Deepak Chahar, Trent Boult and Karn Sharma
(With inputs from agencies)

Cricket, Sports: While Pandya will miss MI's tournament opener against CSK, MS Dhoni will hog all the limelight in potentially his last season as an active IPL cricketer

Ahead of the CSK-MI IPL 2025 clash at the Chepauk in Chennai on Sunday (Mar 23), two superstars – MS Dhoni and Hardik Pandya, shared a light moment during the training. Former Chennai Super Kings captain Dhoni and Mumbai Indians’ Pandya hugged midway through the practice session and giggled around as the video went viral on social media. Watch – HP 🫂 MSD#MumbaiIndians #PlayLikeMumbai #TATAIPL #CSKvMI [Hardik Pandya, MS Dhoni] pic.twitter.com/JtCDgnShBq — Mumbai Indians (@mipaltan) March 22, 2025 While MI’s captain Pandya will miss his team’s tournament opener against fierce rivals CSK, Dhoni, 43, will hog all the limelight in potentially his last season as an active IPL cricketer. In Pandya’s absence, star batter Suryakumar Yadav will captain Mumbai (against Chennai), while Ruturaj Gaikwad will walk out at the toss as CSK's skipper. Also read | IPL 2025: Record-breaker Gibbs doesn’t think scoring 300 in an inning is biggest achievement CSK-MI in IPL 2025 The two most successful IPL teams, having won five titles each, will square off in Chennai on Sunday evening in the first marquee match of the tournament. Unlike the previous season, where CSK-MI faced off only once (at Wankhede), the two heavyweights will meet twice in IPL 2025, the second of which is scheduled (for April 20) in Mumbai. For Mumbai Indians, ace seamer Jasprit Bumrah will miss the action as he recovers from the back spasm suffered on the Australian tour in January. Although he came close to attaining full fitness and earning an India recall for the recently concluded Champions Trophy, a last-minute lapse in his recovery forced the selectors to overlook him for the first showpiece event of the year. Per the latest reports, Bumrah returned to the National Cricket Academy (NCA) in Bengaluru a week after making his first visit since getting ruled out. Bumrah has resumed bowling at the NCA nets, preparing for his anticipated return to competitive cricket. Predicted XIs of CSK and MI – CSK – Ruturaj Gaikwad (captain), Devon Conway/Rachin Ravindra, Rahul Tripathi, Shivam Dube, Sam Curran, Ravindra Jadeja, MS Dhoni (wk), Ravichandran Ashwin, Shreyas Gopal, Khaleel Ahmed and Matheesha Pathirana MI – Rohit Sharma, Ryan Rickelton (wk), Will Jacks, Suryakumar Yadav (captain), Tilak Varma, Robin Minz, Raj Bawa/Naman Dhir, Mitchell Santner, Deepak Chahar, Trent Boult and Karn Sharma (With inputs from agencies)

Watch – MS Dhoni shares light moment with Hardik Pandya ahead of CSK-MI clash

Former Indian all-rounder <a href="https://www.wionews.com/tags/yuvraj-singh" rel="dofollow">Yuvraj Singh</a> has thrown his weight behind <a href="https://www.wionews.com/tags/sunrisers-hyderabad" rel="dofollow">Sunrisers Hyderabad</a> (SRH) as his favorites to lift the Indian Premier League 2025&nbsp;trophy. However, the World Cup-winning cricketer made it clear that his preference has nothing to do with his mentorship of <a href="https://www.wionews.com/tags/abhishek-sharma">Abhishek Sharma</a>, one of SRH&rsquo;s most promising young stars.
Yuvraj, who has been closely working with&nbsp;Abhishek Sharma, has seen the youngster develop into a powerful top-order batter for SRH. In IPL 2024, Abhishek stunned everyone with his 63 off just 23 balls against Mumbai Indians (MI), playing a crucial role in SRH's record-breaking 277/3 total&mdash;the highest-ever in IPL history.
Speaking exclusively to WION, the former Indian cricketer said, "SRH looks a well-balanced team. They have enough firepower to life the coveted IPL trophy this season. I am not saying this because I am biased towards Abhishek, but they really are a strong team."
Also Read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/cricket/ipl-2025-record-breaker-gibbs-doesnt-think-scoring-300-in-an-inning-is-biggest-achievement-8880269">IPL 2025: Record-breaker Gibbs doesn&rsquo;t think scoring 300 in an inning is biggest achievement</a>
Despite his evident connection with Abhishek, Yuvraj was quick to clarify that his backing of SRH is based purely on the team's overall strength, balance, and performance, not personal bias. He believes that under the leadership of Pat Cummins, SRH has all the ingredients to go all the way this season.
In a lighthearted moment after Abhishek&rsquo;s stunning knock, Yuvraj praised the youngster's innings but jokingly pointed out his mistake while playing the short ball that led to his dismissal. This showed the high expectations the former cricketer has for his protege.
<h2 data-start="1156" data-end="1427">Yuvi's love for RCB&nbsp;</h2>
While SRH remains his top pick, Yuvraj also expressed his admiration for&nbsp;Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB), saying that he would love to see them go all the way. RCB, a team with a massive fanbase and star players like&nbsp;Virat Kohli and Glenn Maxwell, has been chasing their elusive maiden IPL title for years.
By supporting both SRH and RCB, Yuvraj has set up an interesting narrative for the IPL season. Will SRH capitalise on their explosive batting lineup, or will RCB finally break their trophy drought? With Yuvraj&rsquo;s endorsement, all eyes will be on these two franchises as they battle for the IPL 2024 crown.
With high expectations and intense competition, IPL 2024 is shaping up to be one of the most exciting seasons yet. Whether SRH lives up to Yuvraj&rsquo;s prediction or RCB fulfills the dreams of their loyal fans, one thing is certain&mdash;this tournament is going to be a&nbsp;thriller!

Sports, Cricket: Yuvraj, who has been closely working with Abhishek Sharma, has seen the youngster develop into a powerful top-order batter for Sunrisers Hyderabad

Former Indian all-rounder Yuvraj Singh has thrown his weight behind Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) as his favorites to lift the Indian Premier League 2025 trophy. However, the World Cup-winning cricketer made it clear that his preference has nothing to do with his mentorship of Abhishek Sharma, one of SRH’s most promising young stars. Yuvraj, who has been closely working with Abhishek Sharma, has seen the youngster develop into a powerful top-order batter for SRH. In IPL 2024, Abhishek stunned everyone with his 63 off just 23 balls against Mumbai Indians (MI), playing a crucial role in SRH's record-breaking 277/3 total—the highest-ever in IPL history. Speaking exclusively to WION, the former Indian cricketer said, "SRH looks a well-balanced team. They have enough firepower to life the coveted IPL trophy this season. I am not saying this because I am biased towards Abhishek, but they really are a strong team." Also Read: IPL 2025: Record-breaker Gibbs doesn’t think scoring 300 in an inning is biggest achievement Despite his evident connection with Abhishek, Yuvraj was quick to clarify that his backing of SRH is based purely on the team's overall strength, balance, and performance, not personal bias. He believes that under the leadership of Pat Cummins, SRH has all the ingredients to go all the way this season. In a lighthearted moment after Abhishek’s stunning knock, Yuvraj praised the youngster's innings but jokingly pointed out his mistake while playing the short ball that led to his dismissal. This showed the high expectations the former cricketer has for his protege. Yuvi's love for RCB While SRH remains his top pick, Yuvraj also expressed his admiration for Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB), saying that he would love to see them go all the way. RCB, a team with a massive fanbase and star players like Virat Kohli and Glenn Maxwell, has been chasing their elusive maiden IPL title for years. By supporting both SRH and RCB, Yuvraj has set up an interesting narrative for the IPL season. Will SRH capitalise on their explosive batting lineup, or will RCB finally break their trophy drought? With Yuvraj’s endorsement, all eyes will be on these two franchises as they battle for the IPL 2024 crown. With high expectations and intense competition, IPL 2024 is shaping up to be one of the most exciting seasons yet. Whether SRH lives up to Yuvraj’s prediction or RCB fulfills the dreams of their loyal fans, one thing is certain—this tournament is going to be a thriller!

Exclusive | IPL 2025: Not RCB or Punjab Kings, Yuvraj Singh picks THIS team as favourite to lift title

The England Cricket Board (ECB) on Saturday announced Heather Knight will leave her role as captain of the women's team a day after head coach Jon Lewis was dismissed following a 16-0 Ashes humiliation in Australia earlier this year. The 34-year-old Knight had captained England 199 times since 2016, guiding the team to World Cup glory in 2017 and two other finals.<o:p></o:p>
"Heather Knight is to leave her role as captain of the England Women's cricket team after nearly nine years," the ECB said in a statement. "She will continue to be available for England selection."<o:p></o:p>
The ECB added that it "has decided to appoint a new Captain to lead the team into a new era".<o:p></o:p>
Also read | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/cricket/cwi-enhances-player-protection-policy-after-sexual-assault-allegations-in-west-indies-womens-team-t20-world-cup-2020-8879893" rel="dofollow">CWI enhances player protection policy after sexual assault allegations in West Indies women&rsquo;s team</a>
Her exit comes after former England bowler Lewis, who also oversaw a disappointing campaign at last year's T20 World Cup, was also dismissed after a wide-ranging ECB review.<o:p></o:p>
Knight earned 134 victories as captain, including leading the team to a record-breaking run of eight consecutive ODI series wins, but had disappointing displays at both the 2024 T20 World Cup in the United Arab Emirates and the whitewash in Australia earlier this year.<o:p></o:p>
"Captaining my country for the last nine years has been the biggest honour of my life and I will look back on my tenure with an enormous sense of pride," said Knight. "I have loved the challenge of leading the team, but all good things come to an end and it's time for me to go back into the ranks and focus on being the best batter and team-mate that I can be for the team."<o:p></o:p>
England's women, who have not won a trophy since the 50-over World Cup in 2017, play white-ball series against West Indies and India before a 50-over World Cup in India later this year.
Disclaimer:&nbsp;This story has been published from a news agency feed with minimal edits to adhere to WION's style guide. The headline may have been changed to better reflect the content of the story or to make it more suitable for WION audience.

Cricket, Sports: The 34-year-old Knight had captained England 199 times since 2016, guiding the team to World Cup glory in 2017 and two other finals.

The England Cricket Board (ECB) on Saturday announced Heather Knight will leave her role as captain of the women's team a day after head coach Jon Lewis was dismissed following a 16-0 Ashes humiliation in Australia earlier this year. The 34-year-old Knight had captained England 199 times since 2016, guiding the team to World Cup glory in 2017 and two other finals. "Heather Knight is to leave her role as captain of the England Women's cricket team after nearly nine years," the ECB said in a statement. "She will continue to be available for England selection." The ECB added that it "has decided to appoint a new Captain to lead the team into a new era". Also read | CWI enhances player protection policy after sexual assault allegations in West Indies women’s team Her exit comes after former England bowler Lewis, who also oversaw a disappointing campaign at last year's T20 World Cup, was also dismissed after a wide-ranging ECB review. Knight earned 134 victories as captain, including leading the team to a record-breaking run of eight consecutive ODI series wins, but had disappointing displays at both the 2024 T20 World Cup in the United Arab Emirates and the whitewash in Australia earlier this year. "Captaining my country for the last nine years has been the biggest honour of my life and I will look back on my tenure with an enormous sense of pride," said Knight. "I have loved the challenge of leading the team, but all good things come to an end and it's time for me to go back into the ranks and focus on being the best batter and team-mate that I can be for the team." England's women, who have not won a trophy since the 50-over World Cup in 2017, play white-ball series against West Indies and India before a 50-over World Cup in India later this year. Disclaimer: This story has been published from a news agency feed with minimal edits to adhere to WION's style guide. The headline may have been changed to better reflect the content of the story or to make it more suitable for WION audience.

Heather Knight steps down as England women's captain after nine-year reign

Former South Africa batter and IPL star cricketer <a href="https://www.wionews.com/tags/herschelle-gibbs" rel="dofollow">Herschelle Gibbs</a> knows a bit about doing unimaginable stuff on the cricket field. A premier batter (at the top) back in the day, Gibbs was part of plenty of memorable cricket matches, with his record-breaking 175 against Australia at the Wanderers in 2006, when South Africa chased a mammoth 434, still giving chills to everyone. Lately, he commented on IPL's biggest achievement &ndash; and scoring 300 in an inning is not on the list.
Ahead of the 18th edition of the cash-rich league starting Saturday (Mar 22), Gibbs replied to one of Wasim Jaffer&rsquo;s social media posts.
Jaffer took to X, asking the fans to drop their craziest predictions for the impending season, adding if anyone feels breaching the 300-run-mark is on the cards.&nbsp;
Also read | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/cricket/varun-chakravarthy-keen-on-facing-virat-kohli-in-ipl-2025-opener-says-he-has-done-his-homework-8879793" rel="dofollow">Varun keen on facing Virat in IPL 2025 opener, says 'he has done his homework'</a>
&ldquo;Predictions time! Drop your Top 4 below. Also what do you think will happen for the first time this season? 300 maybe? &nbsp;#IPL2025,&rdquo; Jaffer wrote on X.
Replying to his post, Gibbs said scoring 300 wouldn&rsquo;t be the biggest flex for a batting side (should that happen this season), adding if any team dares to chase the target, it shall then be called the biggest achievement.
&ldquo;Not about scoring 300 bud, it&rsquo;s whether or not it can be chased down which is a bigger achievement,&rdquo; Gibbs replied.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet publive-iframes-block publive-Twitter-block" contenteditable="false" width="600" height="400" id="PL_blockquote_block-m8k823a9-igsjde2v-u0bomlxm">
Not about scoring 300 bud , it&rsquo;s whether or not it can be chased down which is a bigger achievement
&mdash; Herschelle Gibbs (@hershybru) <a href="https://twitter.com/hershybru/status/1903380526473335202?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 22, 2025</a></blockquote>
<h2>Big teams, big totals</h2>
Multiple batting records were shattered during the previous season of IPL, where, on eight occasions, teams scored over 250 runs in an inning.&nbsp;
Of the top five highest team totals, three belonged to the <a href="https://www.wionews.com/tags/sunrisers-hyderabad-srh" rel="dofollow">SunRisers Hyderabad (SRH)</a> &ndash; a team that slammed 287 for three against the <a href="https://www.wionews.com/tags/royal-challengers-bengaluru" rel="dofollow">Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB)</a> in an away game &ndash; the highest team total in the competition&rsquo;s history. A few days ago, SRH hammered the Mumbai Indians bowling attack to all parts, scoring a whopping 277 for three - the then-highest team total.
Although no team has ever breached the 300-run mark in the IPL before, the growing influence of attacking cricket, with better batting conditions available, can help a team break this record this season.
However, the past season saw the highest successful run chase in the tournament history, with Punjab Kings chasing 262 inside the 19th over with eight wickets remaining.&nbsp;
(With inputs from agencies)

Cricket, Sports: Ahead of the 18th edition of the cash-rich league starting Saturday (Mar 22), Gibbs replied to one of Wasim Jaffer’s social media posts.

Former South Africa batter and IPL star cricketer Herschelle Gibbs knows a bit about doing unimaginable stuff on the cricket field. A premier batter (at the top) back in the day, Gibbs was part of plenty of memorable cricket matches, with his record-breaking 175 against Australia at the Wanderers in 2006, when South Africa chased a mammoth 434, still giving chills to everyone. Lately, he commented on IPL's biggest achievement – and scoring 300 in an inning is not on the list. Ahead of the 18th edition of the cash-rich league starting Saturday (Mar 22), Gibbs replied to one of Wasim Jaffer’s social media posts. Jaffer took to X, asking the fans to drop their craziest predictions for the impending season, adding if anyone feels breaching the 300-run-mark is on the cards. Also read | Varun keen on facing Virat in IPL 2025 opener, says 'he has done his homework' “Predictions time! Drop your Top 4 below. Also what do you think will happen for the first time this season? 300 maybe? #IPL2025,” Jaffer wrote on X. Replying to his post, Gibbs said scoring 300 wouldn’t be the biggest flex for a batting side (should that happen this season), adding if any team dares to chase the target, it shall then be called the biggest achievement. “Not about scoring 300 bud, it’s whether or not it can be chased down which is a bigger achievement,” Gibbs replied. Not about scoring 300 bud , it’s whether or not it can be chased down which is a bigger achievement — Herschelle Gibbs (@hershybru) March 22, 2025 Big teams, big totals Multiple batting records were shattered during the previous season of IPL, where, on eight occasions, teams scored over 250 runs in an inning. Of the top five highest team totals, three belonged to the SunRisers Hyderabad (SRH) – a team that slammed 287 for three against the Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) in an away game – the highest team total in the competition’s history. A few days ago, SRH hammered the Mumbai Indians bowling attack to all parts, scoring a whopping 277 for three - the then-highest team total. Although no team has ever breached the 300-run mark in the IPL before, the growing influence of attacking cricket, with better batting conditions available, can help a team break this record this season. However, the past season saw the highest successful run chase in the tournament history, with Punjab Kings chasing 262 inside the 19th over with eight wickets remaining. (With inputs from agencies)

IPL 2025: Record-breaker Gibbs doesn’t think scoring 300 in an inning is biggest achievement

IPL 2025 Opening Ceremony, Highlights:&nbsp;SRK has set the tone while star names like Karan Aujla, Shreya Ghoshal and Disha Patani also stole the show in opening ceremony. The fans should be ready for the season opening clash which will take the center stage at Eden Gardens.&nbsp;<o:p></o:p>
Thanks for joining WION for all the live coverage of the Opening ceremony of the IPL 2025. Hope you have enjoyed the coverage as the focus now turns to the Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) and Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) clash. The two teams will be poised to make an impact and start on a positive note.&nbsp;<o:p></o:p>
KKR will be on hunt for their fourth IPL title while RCB search for their maiden title having thrice finished runners-up. KKR have won the title in 2012, 2014 and 2024, while RCB have finished runners-up in 2009, 2011 and 2016.&nbsp;<o:p></o:p>
Under new captaincy both teams will be hoping to make a positive impact with Ajinkya Rahane and Rajat Patidar incharge of KKR and RCB repsectively.&nbsp;<o:p></o:p>
This is also the same fixture that kickstarted the IPL 2008 which was the inaugural edition, so there will be a sourght of revenge on the cards.&nbsp;
&nbsp;
<h2 class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">Follow WION for All IPL 2025 opening ceremony Highlights</h2>

So the fans are treated to an SRK show as Indian Premier League (IPL) Season 18 kicks off in presence of dignitaries and star names.&nbsp;

IPL 2025 Opening Ceremony LIVE: SRK hosts grand ceremony as captains lead the charge

Virat Kohli is felicitated by BCCI President Roger Binny as he enters his 18th season in the Indian Premier League (IPL).&nbsp;

IPL 2025 Opening Ceremony LIVE: Virat felicitated by BCCI President

Some scenes at the Eden Gardens as Shahrukh Khan and Virat Kohli dance at one tone to set the stage on fire.

IPL 2025 Opening Ceremony LIVE: Virat-SRK grooves at Eden Gardens

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
𝙂𝙊𝙊𝙎𝙀𝘽𝙐𝙈𝙋𝙎! 🇮🇳🥹<a href="https://twitter.com/shreyaghoshal?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@shreyaghoshal</a> at her very best in the <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/TATAIPL?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#TATAIPL</a> 2025 mega celebration! ✨ Watch LIVE action: <a href="https://t.co/iB1oqMusYv">https://t.co/iB1oqMusYv</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/IPLonJioStar?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#IPLonJioStar</a> 👉 <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/KKRvRCB?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#KKRvRCB</a>, LIVE NOW on Star Sports Network &amp; JioHotstar! <a href="https://t.co/dpnpPdlPSr">pic.twitter.com/dpnpPdlPSr</a>
&mdash; Star Sports (@StarSportsIndia) <a href="https://twitter.com/StarSportsIndia/status/1903433162035966229?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 22, 2025</a></blockquote>

<script async="" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

IPL 2025 Opening Ceremony LIVE: Some glimpses from the evening

It had to be King Khan who has opened the IPL 2025 and he is joined by Virat Kohli on the stage. What an opening we have for Season 18!

IPL 2025 Opening Ceremony LIVE: Shahrukh Khan officially opens Season 18 at Eden Gardens

From Shreya to Disha and now we have Karan Aujla who is mesmerising the crowd at the Eden Gardens in Kolkata.&nbsp;

IPL 2025 Opening Ceremony LIVE: Karan Aujla mesmerises Kolkata crowd

Glorious evening lightshow and now beats of Vande Matram have taken the spotlight.&nbsp;

IPL 2025 Opening Ceremony LIVE: Vande Matram beats at Eden Garden

Well we have more 100 singers on offer in Shreya's chorus as they have taken Eden Gardens by storm.&nbsp;

IPL 2025 Opening Ceremony LIVE: Shreyas's chorus is on fire!

Shreya Ghoshal has kick started the IPL opening ceremony as the B-Town singer does what she does best. Fans are ecstatic and we are off to a great start.&nbsp;

IPL 2025 Opening Ceremony LIVE: Shreya Ghoshal takes centre stage at Eden Gardens 

We are expecting fireworks at Eden Gardens as big names like Shahrukh Khan and Disha Patani are set to peform.

IPL 2025 Opening Ceremony LIVE: Stars get ready

Well, the weather looks clear at the moment as the fans are starting to flood at the gates with Shahrukh Khan in action for the opening ceremony.&nbsp;

IPL 2025 Opening Ceremony LIVE: Weather looks clear

Well, it is not a great sight if you are a Bollywood and cricket fan as rain could play a part during the opening ceremony. Rain gods will need to be kind if we want big names like Disha Patani and Shreyas Ghoshal to perform.&nbsp;

IPL 2025 Opening Ceremony LIVE: What is the weather like?

Last year big names like A.R. Rahman and Akshay Kumar performed at the IPL opening ceremony in Chennai, so we can expect a similar blast this time around. Shahrukh Khan is also expected to lighten the occasion.&nbsp;

IPL 2025 Opening Ceremony LIVE: What can we expect?

The IPL 2025 opening ceremony will be hosted at the iconic Eden Gardens in Kolkata, right before the Kolkata Knight Riders vs Royal Challengers Bengaluru match.

IPL 2025 Opening Ceremony LIVE: What is the venue?

The IPL 2025 opening ceremony will be live-streamed on the JioHotstar app and website in India.

IPL 2025 Opening Ceremony LIVE: Where to watch on OTT?

The IPL 2025 opening ceremony will be telecasted on Star Sports and Sports 18 Network in India.

IPL 2025 Opening Ceremony LIVE: Where to watch?

The IPL 2025 opening ceremony is scheduled to start at 6:00 PM IST with host of star names performing.&nbsp;

IPL 2025 Opening Ceremony LIVE: When will it begin?

KKR and RCB raise the curtains for IPL 2025 as star names will peform during the opening ceremony including Karan Aujla, Shreya Ghoshal and Disha Patani.

IPL 2025 Opening Ceremony LIVE: Who is performing?

Head coach Andy Flower confident, but can RCB&rsquo;s spinners silence the critics? <a href="https://www.wionews.com/tags/royal-challengers-bangalore" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Royal Challengers Bengaluru</a>&nbsp;(RCB) kick off their IPL 2025 campaign on the road, starting in Kolkata before heading to Chennai&mdash;two venues known for their spin-friendly conditions. For RCB to have a successful season, their spinners will need to step up. But do they have the firepower to make an impact?
<a href="https://www.wionews.com/cricket/ipl-2025-head-coach-andy-flower-confident-but-can-rcbs-spinners-silence-the-critics-8879007" rel="dofollow">Click here for the entire story</a>
&nbsp;

IPL 2025 KKR vs RCB LIVE Updates: Head coach Andy Flower confident, but can RCB’s spinners silence the critics?

IPL 2025 | Virat Kohli&rsquo;s 400th T20: New beginnings, old challenges, and hunt for glory
As Virat Kohli steps onto the field for the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/tags/indian-premier-league" rel="dofollow">Indian PremierLeague</a> (IPL) 2025 opener against <a href="https://www.wionews.com/tags/kolkata-knight-riders">Kolkata Knight Riders</a> (KKR) at Eden Gardens, he will mark a historic milestone&mdash;his 400th T20 match. This feat makes him only the third Indian cricketer to achieve this milestone, after <a href="https://www.wionews.com/tags/rohit-sharma">Rohit Sharma</a> (448 matches) and Dinesh Karthik (412 matches).
Since making his T20 debut in 2008, Kohli has made 12,886 runs in 382 innings at an average of 41.43, with nine centuries and 97 fifties. He is not only India&rsquo;s highest run-scorer in T20s but also the sixth-highest globally.
<a href="https://www.wionews.com/cricket/ipl-2025-virat-kohlis-400th-t20-new-beginnings-old-challenges-and-hunt-for-glory-8878710" rel="dofollow">Read full story here</a>

IPL 2025 KKR vs RCB LIVE Updates: Virat Kohli's 400th T20

A steady drizzle in the evening brought premature end to evening practice sessions of Kolkata Knight Riders and Royal Challengers Bengaluru on the eve of their IPL 2025 opener at Eden Gardens here on Saturday (March 22).
Practice began as scheduled at 5pm, but rain set in around 6pm, bringing the ground staff into action while the players had to pack up.&nbsp;Fortunately, Eden Gardens is one of the few venues with full ground covers, ensuring the playing surface remained protected.

IPL 2025 KKR vs RCB LIVE Updates: Drizzle disrupts KKR, RCB practice ahead of IPL opener; rain threat looms over match

KKR squad: Ajinkya Rahane (captain), Venkatesh Iyer (vice-captain), Quinton de Kock (wk), Rovman Powell (wk), Rahmanullah Gurbaz (wk), Luvnith Sisodia (wk), Manish Pandey, Angkrish Raghuvanshi, Ramandeep Singh, Rinku Singh, Moeen Ali, Sunil Narine, Andre Russell, Anukul Roy, Vaibhav Arora, Spencer Johnson, Mayank Markande, Anrich Nortje, Umran Malik, Varun Chakravarthy.
RCB squad: 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, Mohit Rathee.

IPL 2025 KKR vs RCB LIVE Updates: Squads for KKR and RCB ahead of the opening match

IPL 2025 Opening Ceremony, Highlights: SRK has set the tone while star names like Karan Aujla, Shreya Ghoshal and Disha Patani also stole the show in opening ceremony.

IPL 2025 Opening Ceremony, Highlights: SRK has set the tone while star names like Karan Aujla, Shreya Ghoshal and Disha Patani also stole the show in opening ceremony. The fans should be ready for the season opening clash which will take the center stage at Eden Gardens. Thanks for joining WION for all the live coverage of the Opening ceremony of the IPL 2025. Hope you have enjoyed the coverage as the focus now turns to the Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) and Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) clash. The two teams will be poised to make an impact and start on a positive note. KKR will be on hunt for their fourth IPL title while RCB search for their maiden title having thrice finished runners-up. KKR have won the title in 2012, 2014 and 2024, while RCB have finished runners-up in 2009, 2011 and 2016. Under new captaincy both teams will be hoping to make a positive impact with Ajinkya Rahane and Rajat Patidar incharge of KKR and RCB repsectively. This is also the same fixture that kickstarted the IPL 2008 which was the inaugural edition, so there will be a sourght of revenge on the cards. Follow WION for All IPL 2025 opening ceremony Highlights

IPL 2025 Opening Ceremony, Highlights: SRK hosts grand ceremony as Season 18 kicks off in Kolkata

KKR vs RCB, IPL 2025 Free Live Streaming, Date-Time, Venue:&nbsp;The Indian Premier League (IPL 2025) season is all ready for kick-off as defending champions Kolkata Knight Riders take on Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) at the iconic Eden Gardens Stadium in Kolkata. The contest will be a repeat of the curtain-raiser clash from 2008 when the two teams meet in a high-voltage clash. Looking to make a positive start under new captains, both RCB and KKR will have eyes on the IPL 2025 prize. Ahead of the opening IPL 2025 contest between Kolkata Knight Riders and Royal Challengers Bengaluru, here are all the details.
<h2 style="text-align: justify;">Where to watch the Kolkata Knight Riders vs Royal Challengers Bengaluru IPL 2025 match&nbsp;on TV?</h2>
The Kolkata Knight Riders vs Royal Challengers Bengaluru IPL 2025 match will be telecast on Star Sports and Sports 18 Network in India.<o:p></o:p>
<h2 style="text-align: justify;">Where to watch the KKR vs RCB IPL 2025 match Live Streaming online on OTT?</h2>
The Kolkata Knight Riders vs Royal Challengers Bengaluru IPL 2025 match will be live-streamed on the JioHotstar app and website in India.
<h2 style="text-align: justify;">Which stadium will host the Kolkata Knight Riders vs Royal Challengers Bengaluru IPL 2025 match?</h2>
The Kolkata Knight Riders vs Royal Challengers Bengaluru IPL 2025 match will be played at the iconic Eden Gardens in Kolkata.
<h2 class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">What time will the Kolkata Knight Riders vs Royal Challengers Bengaluru IPL 2025 match?</h2>
The Kolkata Knight Riders vs Royal Challengers Bengaluru IPL 2025 match will start at 7:30 PM IST on Saturday (Mar 22) with the toss taking place at 7:00 PM IST.
ALSO READ | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/cricket/ipl-2025-amid-security-concerns-april-6-kkr-lsg-game-moved-out-of-eden-gardens-guwahati-8874179" rel="dofollow noopener" target="_blank">IPL 2025: Amid security concerns, April 6 KKR-LSG game moved out of Eden Gardens</a> 
<h2 class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">KKR vs RCB, IPL 2025 Squads<o:p></o:p></h2>
Kolkata Knight Riders:&nbsp;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
Royal Challengers Bengaluru: 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, Mohit Rathee

KKR vs RCB IPL 2025 Free Live Streaming: The 2025 Indian Premier League is set to begin with a thrilling clash between the defending champions, Kolkata Knight Riders, and Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB). Don't miss the action as these two powerhouse teams go head-to-head in an exciting season opener.

KKR vs RCB, IPL 2025 Free Live Streaming, Date-Time, Venue: The Indian Premier League (IPL 2025) season is all ready for kick-off as defending champions Kolkata Knight Riders take on Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) at the iconic Eden Gardens Stadium in Kolkata. The contest will be a repeat of the curtain-raiser clash from 2008 when the two teams meet in a high-voltage clash. Looking to make a positive start under new captains, both RCB and KKR will have eyes on the IPL 2025 prize. Ahead of the opening IPL 2025 contest between Kolkata Knight Riders and Royal Challengers Bengaluru, here are all the details. Where to watch the Kolkata Knight Riders vs Royal Challengers Bengaluru IPL 2025 match on TV? The Kolkata Knight Riders vs Royal Challengers Bengaluru IPL 2025 match will be telecast on Star Sports and Sports 18 Network in India. Where to watch the KKR vs RCB IPL 2025 match Live Streaming online on OTT? The Kolkata Knight Riders vs Royal Challengers Bengaluru IPL 2025 match will be live-streamed on the JioHotstar app and website in India. Which stadium will host the Kolkata Knight Riders vs Royal Challengers Bengaluru IPL 2025 match? The Kolkata Knight Riders vs Royal Challengers Bengaluru IPL 2025 match will be played at the iconic Eden Gardens in Kolkata. What time will the Kolkata Knight Riders vs Royal Challengers Bengaluru IPL 2025 match? The Kolkata Knight Riders vs Royal Challengers Bengaluru IPL 2025 match will start at 7:30 PM IST on Saturday (Mar 22) with the toss taking place at 7:00 PM IST. ALSO READ | IPL 2025: Amid security concerns, April 6 KKR-LSG game moved out of Eden Gardens KKR vs RCB, IPL 2025 Squads Kolkata Knight Riders: 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 Royal Challengers Bengaluru: 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, Mohit Rathee

KKR vs RCB IPL 2025 Free Live Streaming: How to Watch Kolkata Knight Riders vs Royal Challengers Bangalore IPL 2025 Live Online

Cricket West Indies and West Indies Players&rsquo; Association (WIPA) have reacted to sexual assault allegations in the West Indies women's cricket team during the ICC Women&rsquo;s T20 World Cup 2020 in Australia. Both associations have decided to meet up and review "all aspects of athlete safeguarding within West Indies cricket".
Following a meeting on Saturday, the two bodies admitted taking such matters seriously and remaining fully committed to safeguarding the environment for all players and staff. The two have added that they have already taken significant steps to enhance player protection policy without detailing much about the alleged incident.
Also read | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/cricket/yuvraj-singhs-wife-hazel-keech-backs-bccis-family-time-rule-says-it-benefits-players-8878473" rel="dofollow">Yuvraj Singh's wife Hazel Keech backs BCCI&rsquo;s family time rule, says it benefits players</a>
<h2>Enhancing player protection policy</h2>
The statement read that in 2021, the CWI brought in improved safeguarding measures for women&rsquo;s tours, strengthening security and well-being, with the country&rsquo;s governing body implementing additional policies two years later while maintaining parity with the men&rsquo;s team.&nbsp;
"In 2021, improved safeguarding measures were introduced for women's tours, strengthening security and well-being," the statement said.&nbsp;
"In May 2023, CWI implemented additional policies, including single-room accommodations for the West Indies Senior Women's team on all international assignments, ensuring parity with the men's team. These are among other policy initiatives within the Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) for the period 1 October 2023 to 30 September 2027.
"Additionally, the CWI Women's Cricket Transformation Committee was established to further advance women's cricket.
"Furthermore, we have implemented and strictly adhered to UNICEF's Children Protection Policy, ensuring that minors never share rooms with adults under any circumstance. Additionally, we have mandated ongoing training for all officials to reinforce and uphold these standards,&rdquo; it concluded.&nbsp;
Also read | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/american-boxing-legend-and-heavyweight-champion-dies-at-76-8878337" rel="dofollow">American boxing legend and heavyweight champion, dies at 76</a>
Meanwhile, the 2020 Women&rsquo;s T20 World Cup was held Down Under, where Stafanie Taylor-led West Indies failed to advance to the next round after winning one and losing two; their washout against South Africa knocked them out of the group stages.
The host Australia beat India in a one-sided final in front of a record 86,174 attendance at the iconic MCG.&nbsp;
(With inputs from agencies)

Cricket, Sports: Australia hosted the 2020 Women’s T20 World Cup, where Stafanie Taylor-led West Indies women's team failed to advance beyond the group stage.

Cricket West Indies and West Indies Players’ Association (WIPA) have reacted to sexual assault allegations in the West Indies women's cricket team during the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup 2020 in Australia. Both associations have decided to meet up and review "all aspects of athlete safeguarding within West Indies cricket". Following a meeting on Saturday, the two bodies admitted taking such matters seriously and remaining fully committed to safeguarding the environment for all players and staff. The two have added that they have already taken significant steps to enhance player protection policy without detailing much about the alleged incident. Also read | Yuvraj Singh's wife Hazel Keech backs BCCI’s family time rule, says it benefits players Enhancing player protection policy The statement read that in 2021, the CWI brought in improved safeguarding measures for women’s tours, strengthening security and well-being, with the country’s governing body implementing additional policies two years later while maintaining parity with the men’s team. "In 2021, improved safeguarding measures were introduced for women's tours, strengthening security and well-being," the statement said. "In May 2023, CWI implemented additional policies, including single-room accommodations for the West Indies Senior Women's team on all international assignments, ensuring parity with the men's team. These are among other policy initiatives within the Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) for the period 1 October 2023 to 30 September 2027. "Additionally, the CWI Women's Cricket Transformation Committee was established to further advance women's cricket. "Furthermore, we have implemented and strictly adhered to UNICEF's Children Protection Policy, ensuring that minors never share rooms with adults under any circumstance. Additionally, we have mandated ongoing training for all officials to reinforce and uphold these standards,” it concluded. Also read | American boxing legend and heavyweight champion, dies at 76 Meanwhile, the 2020 Women’s T20 World Cup was held Down Under, where Stafanie Taylor-led West Indies failed to advance to the next round after winning one and losing two; their washout against South Africa knocked them out of the group stages. The host Australia beat India in a one-sided final in front of a record 86,174 attendance at the iconic MCG. (With inputs from agencies)

CWI enhances player protection policy after sexual assault allegations in West Indies women’s team

What happens when your landlord is more obsessed with <a href="https://www.wionews.com/tags/indian-premier-league">IPL</a> than rent payments? Welcome to DC PG by Gulati, where veteran actor Rajesh Sharma plays Gulati, a die-hard Delhi Capitals fan who only allows fellow DC supporters to stay in his PG. But when non-DC fans sneak in, the real IPL drama begins&mdash;off the field!&nbsp;
In an exclusive conversation with WION, Rajesh Sharma shared his excitement about the role, revealing that despite his character's cricket obsession, he was actually a football captain in school and never played cricket. "The excitement was that I had to play cricket for the role," he said. "Cricket in India is like a religion, and if I can connect with people through the right emotion, it takes this religion to a different level."&nbsp;
Also Read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/cricket/ipl-2025-king-khans-pep-talk-to-kkr-god-bless-you-be-healthy-and-play-well-8879692">IPL 2025 | King Khan&rsquo;s Pep Talk to KKR: God Bless You, be healthy and play well</a>
Though he doesn&rsquo;t follow IPL closely, Sharma enjoys discussing the matches with friends. "I like 2-3 teams&mdash;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/tags/chennai-super-kings">Chennai Super Kings</a>, <a href="https://www.wionews.com/tags/kolkata-knight-riders">Kolkata Knight Riders</a>, Delhi Capitals, and Punjab Kings," he admitted.&nbsp;
On his experience filming the series, Sharma praised the fresh and hardworking team. "The script, written by Panky, was full of natural humor, so I didn&rsquo;t have to improvise much. Everyone on the crew was so involved. That's what made the work fun and easy going."&nbsp;
A self-proclaimed foodie, Sharma couldn&rsquo;t stop raving about Delhi&rsquo;s street food. "There&rsquo;s a guy at CP who sells gajar ka halwa. I would take a 10-minute break from the shoot just to eat it!"&nbsp;
When asked which IPL team he would allow into his character's PG, Sharma was clear: "I would allow everyone. Cricket is about inclusivity."&nbsp;
He also spoke about the challenges of comedy in acting. "Comedy is hard because the person making others laugh is often serious inside. It&rsquo;s about balancing heart and mind, like Bertolt Brecht's theory&mdash;don&rsquo;t just flow with emotions, but work with awareness."
As Delhi Capitals engage their fans with their new mini-web series, they will be keen to start their campaign on a positive note when they face Lucknow Super Giants in the opening match of IPL 2025 on Monday (March 24).&nbsp;
<h2>Rapid fire with Rajesh Sharma:&nbsp;</h2>
Chennai Super Kings or Delhi Capitals-Delhi&nbsp;
All-time favorite cricketer-Mohammad Azharuddin&nbsp;
If you could swap places with a cricketer for a day-Kapil Dev&nbsp;
Cricketer biopic you'd like to star in-Virat Kohli&nbsp;
Who would you spend more time with, Dhoni or Kohli-Dhoni&nbsp;
Your IPL 2025 winner prediction- Kolkata Knight Riders

Sports, Entertainment: Rajesh Sharma shared his excitement about the role, revealing that despite his character's cricket obsession, he never played cricket

What happens when your landlord is more obsessed with IPL than rent payments? Welcome to DC PG by Gulati, where veteran actor Rajesh Sharma plays Gulati, a die-hard Delhi Capitals fan who only allows fellow DC supporters to stay in his PG. But when non-DC fans sneak in, the real IPL drama begins—off the field! In an exclusive conversation with WION, Rajesh Sharma shared his excitement about the role, revealing that despite his character's cricket obsession, he was actually a football captain in school and never played cricket. "The excitement was that I had to play cricket for the role," he said. "Cricket in India is like a religion, and if I can connect with people through the right emotion, it takes this religion to a different level." Also Read: IPL 2025 | King Khan’s Pep Talk to KKR: God Bless You, be healthy and play well Though he doesn’t follow IPL closely, Sharma enjoys discussing the matches with friends. "I like 2-3 teams—Chennai Super Kings, Kolkata Knight Riders, Delhi Capitals, and Punjab Kings," he admitted. On his experience filming the series, Sharma praised the fresh and hardworking team. "The script, written by Panky, was full of natural humor, so I didn’t have to improvise much. Everyone on the crew was so involved. That's what made the work fun and easy going." A self-proclaimed foodie, Sharma couldn’t stop raving about Delhi’s street food. "There’s a guy at CP who sells gajar ka halwa. I would take a 10-minute break from the shoot just to eat it!" When asked which IPL team he would allow into his character's PG, Sharma was clear: "I would allow everyone. Cricket is about inclusivity." He also spoke about the challenges of comedy in acting. "Comedy is hard because the person making others laugh is often serious inside. It’s about balancing heart and mind, like Bertolt Brecht's theory—don’t just flow with emotions, but work with awareness." As Delhi Capitals engage their fans with their new mini-web series, they will be keen to start their campaign on a positive note when they face Lucknow Super Giants in the opening match of IPL 2025 on Monday (March 24). Rapid fire with Rajesh Sharma: Chennai Super Kings or Delhi Capitals-Delhi All-time favorite cricketer-Mohammad Azharuddin If you could swap places with a cricketer for a day-Kapil Dev Cricketer biopic you'd like to star in-Virat Kohli Who would you spend more time with, Dhoni or Kohli-Dhoni Your IPL 2025 winner prediction- Kolkata Knight Riders

Exclusive | IPL 2025: IPL kickstarts and so does the fun with Rajesh Sharma's new show

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/tags/ipl-2025" rel="dofollow">IPL 2025</a> gets underway at the Eden Gardens in Kolkata on Saturday (Mar 22), with the defending champions Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) hosting Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) in the curtain raiser. Two star-studded teams have plenty to offer this season, with KKR&rsquo;s premier spinner <a href="https://www.wionews.com/tags/varun-chakravarthy" rel="dofollow">Varun Chakravarthy</a> looking forward to facing batting giant and India teammate Virat Kohli in the marquee clash. The mystery spinner admitted working on a few tricks to get the better of the RCB veteran.
Varun-Virat faced off seven times in IPL history, with Virat scoring 40 off 39 balls faced, and getting out once. Though Kohli never looks like he is slowing down on his run-scoring spree, Varun has plans to put brakes on it.
Also read | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/cricket/ipl-2025-king-khans-pep-talk-to-kkr-god-bless-you-be-healthy-and-play-well-8879692" rel="dofollow">IPL 2025 | King Khan&rsquo;s Pep Talk to KKR: God Bless You, be healthy and play well</a>
"I've done just the same preparation I did last year," Varun said. "Definitely excited to be coming up against Virat bhai. Obviously, he has batted well against me, and I would want to do well against him.
"Anyone at this level, you cannot think of it as an easy opposition. Every team in the IPL is as good as the other one. RCB have a quality team, but we have done our homework. I have done my homework too,&rdquo; he continued.
<h2>&lsquo;Fresh weapons to unleash&rsquo;</h2>
Varun has been a thorn in the flesh of some of the best batters around across competitions. His variations are tougher to pick for even the most in-form players, and though he admitted working on new ones ahead of the impending season, he believes it may or may not click, like previous times.&nbsp;
Also read | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/cricket/ipl-2025-virat-kohlis-400th-t20-new-beginnings-old-challenges-and-hunt-for-glory-8878710" rel="dofollow">IPL 2025 | Virat Kohli&rsquo;s 400th T20: New beginnings, old challenges, and hunt for glory</a>
"Whenever I play some domestic, I try to work something new. Every year I try to bowl something new," Varun said.&nbsp;
"Last year it worked out, in seasons before that it didn't. Obviously, I have a few balls up my sleeves, but it will depend on other factors also.
"Basically, the ball can deviate in three ways: left, right or straight. So how I choose those balls, the sequencing of it - that's where the tactical side of the game comes, and that's what I'm working on.
&ldquo;Whenever my captain wants me to bowl, I am ready for it. I have bowled in the Powerplay, middle and death also. We have a new captain this time, and he has spoken to me about where I can be most effective. I have also conveyed that to him,&rdquo; he added.&nbsp;
Meanwhile, Varun says he is excited to resume his partnership with IPL veteran Sunil Narine, whom he admits has no competition with, calling him a legend.&nbsp;
"I don't have to compliment him," Varun said. "He is a legend of the game. One of the greats of the game. He was the MVP last year also.
"We've had a little conversation this year, and he looks very well prepared. He looks ready to take on the IPL just like how he did last year. I'm very excited to see him go this year also. Whatever he does, I just look at that, and I try to imbibe whatever he does here,&rdquo; he continued.&nbsp;
(With inputs from agencies)

Cricket, Sports: Though Kohli never looks like he is slowing down on his run-scoring spree, Varun Chakravarthy has plans to put brakes on it ahead of the marquee clash.

IPL 2025 gets underway at the Eden Gardens in Kolkata on Saturday (Mar 22), with the defending champions Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) hosting Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) in the curtain raiser. Two star-studded teams have plenty to offer this season, with KKR’s premier spinner Varun Chakravarthy looking forward to facing batting giant and India teammate Virat Kohli in the marquee clash. The mystery spinner admitted working on a few tricks to get the better of the RCB veteran. Varun-Virat faced off seven times in IPL history, with Virat scoring 40 off 39 balls faced, and getting out once. Though Kohli never looks like he is slowing down on his run-scoring spree, Varun has plans to put brakes on it. Also read | IPL 2025 | King Khan’s Pep Talk to KKR: God Bless You, be healthy and play well "I've done just the same preparation I did last year," Varun said. "Definitely excited to be coming up against Virat bhai. Obviously, he has batted well against me, and I would want to do well against him. "Anyone at this level, you cannot think of it as an easy opposition. Every team in the IPL is as good as the other one. RCB have a quality team, but we have done our homework. I have done my homework too,” he continued. ‘Fresh weapons to unleash’ Varun has been a thorn in the flesh of some of the best batters around across competitions. His variations are tougher to pick for even the most in-form players, and though he admitted working on new ones ahead of the impending season, he believes it may or may not click, like previous times. Also read | IPL 2025 | Virat Kohli’s 400th T20: New beginnings, old challenges, and hunt for glory "Whenever I play some domestic, I try to work something new. Every year I try to bowl something new," Varun said. "Last year it worked out, in seasons before that it didn't. Obviously, I have a few balls up my sleeves, but it will depend on other factors also. "Basically, the ball can deviate in three ways: left, right or straight. So how I choose those balls, the sequencing of it - that's where the tactical side of the game comes, and that's what I'm working on. “Whenever my captain wants me to bowl, I am ready for it. I have bowled in the Powerplay, middle and death also. We have a new captain this time, and he has spoken to me about where I can be most effective. I have also conveyed that to him,” he added. Meanwhile, Varun says he is excited to resume his partnership with IPL veteran Sunil Narine, whom he admits has no competition with, calling him a legend. "I don't have to compliment him," Varun said. "He is a legend of the game. One of the greats of the game. He was the MVP last year also. "We've had a little conversation this year, and he looks very well prepared. He looks ready to take on the IPL just like how he did last year. I'm very excited to see him go this year also. Whatever he does, I just look at that, and I try to imbibe whatever he does here,” he continued. (With inputs from agencies)

Varun keen on facing Virat in IPL 2025 opener, says 'he has done his homework'

Bollywood superstar and <a href="https://www.wionews.com/tags/kolkata-knight-riders">Kolkata Knight Riders</a> (KKR) co-owner <a href="https://www.wionews.com/tags/shah-rukh-khan">Shah Rukh Khan</a> extended his best wishes to the team ahead of their IPL 2025 opening match against Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB).
In a video shared by KKR&rsquo;s official Instagram handle, SRK was seen personally greeting each player in the dressing room. He warmly embraced them and said, &ldquo;God bless you. Please be healthy, be happy. And thank you, Chandu sir, for looking after them. Welcome aboard to the new members. Thank you, Ajinkya, for joining us and being a captain. God bless you, and I hope you will find a good home here and play well with all of us. Have a good evening, a good match, and be healthy.&rdquo;
The post was captioned, "King Khan ka pyaar, Knights ke naam. Shahrukh Khan | #AmiKKR | #TATAIPL2025 | #KKRvRCB."
Also Read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/cricket/ipl-2025-heres-what-ipl-chairman-said-about-cash-rich-league-happening-in-saudi-arabia-8879549">IPL 2025 | Here's what IPL chairman said about cash-rich league happening in Saudi Arabia</a>
<h2>See the video here:</h2>
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<p style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 0; margin-top: 8px; overflow: hidden; padding: 8px 0 7px; text-align: center; text-overflow: ellipsis; white-space: nowrap;"><a href="https://www.instagram.com/reel/DHfP8WkSTaU/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank" rel="noopener">A post shared by Kolkata Knight Riders (@kkriders)</a>
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SRK arrived in Kolkata on Friday (March 21) evening to attend the grand IPL 2025 opening ceremony at Eden Gardens. Dressed in a white T-shirt and denim jeans, he made a stylish entrance, greeting his fans at the airport with waves and flying kisses.
The match between KKR and RCB revives memories of the IPL 2008 opener, where Brendon McCullum&rsquo;s historic 158-run knock set the tournament alight. Both teams enter IPL 2025 with new captains&mdash;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/tags/ajinkya-rahane">Ajinkya Rahane</a> leading KKR and Rajat Patidar at the helm for RCB.
Spin bowling is expected to play a key role, with KKR boasting experienced spinners like Varun Chakravarthy and Sunil Narine, supported by Moeen Ali and Anukul Roy. RCB counters with Krunal Pandya leading their spin attack, alongside Swapnil Singh, Liam Livingstone, Jacob Bethell, and former KKR player Suyash Sharma.
Both teams also feature explosive batting line-ups. RCB&rsquo;s squad includes Virat Kohli, Rajat Patidar, Liam Livingstone, Phil Salt, and Jitesh Sharma. KKR, on the other hand, has Quinton de Kock, Rinku Singh, Ajinkya Rahane, and Venkatesh Iyer in their ranks.
Squads: KKR: Ajinkya Rahane (c), Venkatesh Iyer (vc), Rinku Singh, Andre Russell, Sunil Narine, Varun Chakravarthy, Harshit Rana, Ramandeep Singh, Angkrish Raghuvanshi, Quinton de Kock (wk), Rahmanullah Gurbaz (wk), Mayank Markande, Anrich Nortje, Vaibhav Arora, Manish Pandey, Luvnith Sisodia (wk), Anukul Roy, Rovman Powell, Moeen Ali, Chetan Sakariya, Spencer Johnson.
RCB: Virat Kohli, Rajat Patidar (c), Swastik Chikara, Devdutt Padikkal, Jitesh Sharma, Philip Salt, Manoj Bhandage, Tim David, Krunal Pandya, Liam Livingstone, Romario Shepherd, Jacob Bethell, Swapnil Singh, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Josh Hazlewood, Nuwan Thushara, Lungi Ngidi, Yash Dayal, Rasikh Dar Salam, Suyash Sharma, Mohit Rathee, Abhinandan Singh.
(With inputs from agencies)

Sports, Cricket: The match between KKR and RCB revives memories of the IPL 2008 opener, where Brendon McCullum’s historic 158-run knock set the tournament alight

Bollywood superstar and Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) co-owner Shah Rukh Khan extended his best wishes to the team ahead of their IPL 2025 opening match against Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB). In a video shared by KKR’s official Instagram handle, SRK was seen personally greeting each player in the dressing room. He warmly embraced them and said, “God bless you. Please be healthy, be happy. And thank you, Chandu sir, for looking after them. Welcome aboard to the new members. Thank you, Ajinkya, for joining us and being a captain. God bless you, and I hope you will find a good home here and play well with all of us. Have a good evening, a good match, and be healthy.” The post was captioned, "King Khan ka pyaar, Knights ke naam. Shahrukh Khan | #AmiKKR | #TATAIPL2025 | #KKRvRCB." Also Read: IPL 2025 | Here's what IPL chairman said about cash-rich league happening in Saudi Arabia See the video here: View this post on Instagram A post shared by Kolkata Knight Riders (@kkriders) SRK arrived in Kolkata on Friday (March 21) evening to attend the grand IPL 2025 opening ceremony at Eden Gardens. Dressed in a white T-shirt and denim jeans, he made a stylish entrance, greeting his fans at the airport with waves and flying kisses. The match between KKR and RCB revives memories of the IPL 2008 opener, where Brendon McCullum’s historic 158-run knock set the tournament alight. Both teams enter IPL 2025 with new captains—Ajinkya Rahane leading KKR and Rajat Patidar at the helm for RCB. Spin bowling is expected to play a key role, with KKR boasting experienced spinners like Varun Chakravarthy and Sunil Narine, supported by Moeen Ali and Anukul Roy. RCB counters with Krunal Pandya leading their spin attack, alongside Swapnil Singh, Liam Livingstone, Jacob Bethell, and former KKR player Suyash Sharma. Both teams also feature explosive batting line-ups. RCB’s squad includes Virat Kohli, Rajat Patidar, Liam Livingstone, Phil Salt, and Jitesh Sharma. KKR, on the other hand, has Quinton de Kock, Rinku Singh, Ajinkya Rahane, and Venkatesh Iyer in their ranks. Squads: KKR: Ajinkya Rahane (c), Venkatesh Iyer (vc), Rinku Singh, Andre Russell, Sunil Narine, Varun Chakravarthy, Harshit Rana, Ramandeep Singh, Angkrish Raghuvanshi, Quinton de Kock (wk), Rahmanullah Gurbaz (wk), Mayank Markande, Anrich Nortje, Vaibhav Arora, Manish Pandey, Luvnith Sisodia (wk), Anukul Roy, Rovman Powell, Moeen Ali, Chetan Sakariya, Spencer Johnson. RCB: Virat Kohli, Rajat Patidar (c), Swastik Chikara, Devdutt Padikkal, Jitesh Sharma, Philip Salt, Manoj Bhandage, Tim David, Krunal Pandya, Liam Livingstone, Romario Shepherd, Jacob Bethell, Swapnil Singh, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Josh Hazlewood, Nuwan Thushara, Lungi Ngidi, Yash Dayal, Rasikh Dar Salam, Suyash Sharma, Mohit Rathee, Abhinandan Singh. (With inputs from agencies)

IPL 2025 | King Khan’s Pep Talk to KKR: God Bless You, be healthy and play well

As the <a href="https://www.wionews.com/tags/indian-premier-league">Indian Premier League</a> (IPL) enters its 18th season, the brand continues to grow stronger, facing no significant threats from the increasing number of global T20 leagues, according to IPL chairman <a href="https://www.wionews.com/tags/arun-dhumal">Arun Dhumal</a>. Dhumal dismissed speculation regarding a Saudi-backed cricket event, emphasising that the <a href="https://www.wionews.com/tags/board-of-control-for-cricket-in-india">Board of Control for Cricket in India</a> (BCCI) supports the expansion of T20 leagues, particularly in emerging markets such as Saudi Arabia, Europe, and the USA. He believes this growth will ultimately benefit the sport, especially ahead of cricket&rsquo;s return to the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics.
"There is no point discussing speculation. As far as I know, there is no infrastructure in Saudi Arabia to host a tournament of this scale," Dhumal was quoted saying to PTI. While there has been much media chatter about Saudi Arabia's potential entry into cricket, nothing concrete has materialized. However, the country has been involved with the IPL as a sponsor and even hosted the mega auction last year.
Also Read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/cricket/ipl-2025-we-are-going-to-become-greatest-punjab-kings-side-says-head-coach-ricky-ponting-8879282">IPL 2025 | 'We are going to become greatest Punjab Kings side', says head coach Ricky Ponting</a>
Recent reports suggest Saudi Arabia is planning a tennis Grand Slam-style cricket league, but no official details have emerged.
<h2>IPL ranks second globally in per-match value</h2>
The IPL is currently valued at over $12 billion and ranks second globally in per-match value, trailing only the National Football League (NFL) in the United States. With such a dominant position, no other cricket league poses a direct challenge to the IPL. In fact, IPL franchise owners are expanding their reach by investing in foreign leagues such as the Caribbean Premier League (CPL), SA20, Major League Cricket (MLC), International League T20 (ILT20), and most recently, The Hundred in the UK.
"The goal of bringing cricket to the Olympics is to ensure its global growth. More leagues mean more opportunities, and we don&rsquo;t see anyone as a threat," Dhumal said. "We encourage cricket's expansion into newer territories like Saudi Arabia, America, and Europe. Our focus remains on strengthening the IPL."
Regarding England star <a href="https://www.wionews.com/tags/harry-brook">Harry Brook</a>&rsquo;s recent two-year ban for withdrawing from his contract with Delhi Capitals, Dhumal defended the decision, emphasising its importance in maintaining the integrity of the auction process. "Franchises strategize their squads around auction picks. If a player withdraws without a valid reason, it disrupts team planning and affects the tournament," he explained. The two-year suspension includes the season the player pulled out from.
Dhumal also addressed the Impact Player Rule, which has sparked mixed reactions. "The feedback from fans and broadcasters has been overwhelmingly positive, and it has elevated the standard of play. That&rsquo;s why we&rsquo;ve extended it until 2027," he said. He dismissed concerns about the rule hindering the development of Indian all-rounders, asserting that IPL has raised the benchmark for all players, and the same will happen for all-rounders over time.
Among other changes, the IPL has lifted the five-year-old ban on saliva use and introduced new technologies to improve fairness. "We consulted captains, and they felt lifting the saliva ban would provide some relief to bowlers in a batsman-dominated format," said Dhumal. Additionally, Decision Review System (DRS) will now apply to height and off-stump wides, and a second ball will be introduced in the second innings to counter dew.
To rival the NFL, NBA, and English Premier League, the IPL needs a larger window beyond its current two-month slot. However, with bilateral series and ICC events dominating the calendar until at least 2031, increasing the IPL&rsquo;s duration remains a challenge.
"Whenever a larger window becomes available, we would like to extend the tournament," Dhumal said. "Players don&rsquo;t want to miss IPL, and a longer season benefits everyone."
Ultimately, innovation remains key to IPL&rsquo;s continued success. "The fan experience is at the heart of any sport," Dhumal emphasised. "Our goal is to reinforce IPL&rsquo;s position as the world&rsquo;s premier sporting league. Consistently breaking viewership records in India, along with rising global interest in the UK, USA, Australia, Malaysia, and the Middle East, reflects our efforts.
With club cricket on the rise and many leagues following IPL&rsquo;s model, the IPL must continue leading the way for others to follow."
(With inputs from agencies)

Sports, Cricket: IPL Chairman Arun Dhumal dismissed speculation regarding a Saudi-backed cricket event, emphasising that the BCCI supports the expansion of T20 leagues

As the Indian Premier League (IPL) enters its 18th season, the brand continues to grow stronger, facing no significant threats from the increasing number of global T20 leagues, according to IPL chairman Arun Dhumal. Dhumal dismissed speculation regarding a Saudi-backed cricket event, emphasising that the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) supports the expansion of T20 leagues, particularly in emerging markets such as Saudi Arabia, Europe, and the USA. He believes this growth will ultimately benefit the sport, especially ahead of cricket’s return to the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics. "There is no point discussing speculation. As far as I know, there is no infrastructure in Saudi Arabia to host a tournament of this scale," Dhumal was quoted saying to PTI. While there has been much media chatter about Saudi Arabia's potential entry into cricket, nothing concrete has materialized. However, the country has been involved with the IPL as a sponsor and even hosted the mega auction last year. Also Read: IPL 2025 | 'We are going to become greatest Punjab Kings side', says head coach Ricky Ponting Recent reports suggest Saudi Arabia is planning a tennis Grand Slam-style cricket league, but no official details have emerged. IPL ranks second globally in per-match value The IPL is currently valued at over $12 billion and ranks second globally in per-match value, trailing only the National Football League (NFL) in the United States. With such a dominant position, no other cricket league poses a direct challenge to the IPL. In fact, IPL franchise owners are expanding their reach by investing in foreign leagues such as the Caribbean Premier League (CPL), SA20, Major League Cricket (MLC), International League T20 (ILT20), and most recently, The Hundred in the UK. "The goal of bringing cricket to the Olympics is to ensure its global growth. More leagues mean more opportunities, and we don’t see anyone as a threat," Dhumal said. "We encourage cricket's expansion into newer territories like Saudi Arabia, America, and Europe. Our focus remains on strengthening the IPL." Regarding England star Harry Brook’s recent two-year ban for withdrawing from his contract with Delhi Capitals, Dhumal defended the decision, emphasising its importance in maintaining the integrity of the auction process. "Franchises strategize their squads around auction picks. If a player withdraws without a valid reason, it disrupts team planning and affects the tournament," he explained. The two-year suspension includes the season the player pulled out from. Dhumal also addressed the Impact Player Rule, which has sparked mixed reactions. "The feedback from fans and broadcasters has been overwhelmingly positive, and it has elevated the standard of play. That’s why we’ve extended it until 2027," he said. He dismissed concerns about the rule hindering the development of Indian all-rounders, asserting that IPL has raised the benchmark for all players, and the same will happen for all-rounders over time. Among other changes, the IPL has lifted the five-year-old ban on saliva use and introduced new technologies to improve fairness. "We consulted captains, and they felt lifting the saliva ban would provide some relief to bowlers in a batsman-dominated format," said Dhumal. Additionally, Decision Review System (DRS) will now apply to height and off-stump wides, and a second ball will be introduced in the second innings to counter dew. To rival the NFL, NBA, and English Premier League, the IPL needs a larger window beyond its current two-month slot. However, with bilateral series and ICC events dominating the calendar until at least 2031, increasing the IPL’s duration remains a challenge. "Whenever a larger window becomes available, we would like to extend the tournament," Dhumal said. "Players don’t want to miss IPL, and a longer season benefits everyone." Ultimately, innovation remains key to IPL’s continued success. "The fan experience is at the heart of any sport," Dhumal emphasised. "Our goal is to reinforce IPL’s position as the world’s premier sporting league. Consistently breaking viewership records in India, along with rising global interest in the UK, USA, Australia, Malaysia, and the Middle East, reflects our efforts. With club cricket on the rise and many leagues following IPL’s model, the IPL must continue leading the way for others to follow." (With inputs from agencies)

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