CMC – THE 2025 Indian Premier League (IPL) bowls off with a blockbuster clash as defending champions Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) take on Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) at the iconic Eden Gardens here in Kolkata on Saturday starting at 10 am (Jamaica) 11 am (ECT).

The spotlight will be on West Indian powerhouses Sunil Narine, Andre Russell, Rovman Powell and Romario Shepherd, who are expected to duke it out for their respective teams in the high-octane encounter.

KKR, fresh off their triumphant IPL 2024 campaign, have retained their core group of players, including West Indian stalwarts Narine, Russell and Powell.

Narine, the MVP of the 2024 season, is once again expected to showcase his all-around prowess with both bat and ball while Russell, who had a relatively quiet season with the bat in 2024, remains one of the most feared finishers in T20 cricket.

KKR also made strategic moves at the auction, signing Venkatesh Iyer and bringing in Quinton de Kock as a replacement for Phil Salt.

On the other side, Royal Challengers Bengaluru have bolstered their squad with the acquisition of West Indian all-rounder Romario Shepherd and Barbadian-born English player Jabob Bethell.

RCB’s batting lineup looks formidable, with Virat Kohli, fresh off a stellar Champions Trophy 2025 campaign, set to open alongside Phil Salt.

The middle order, featuring the likes of Liam Livingstone, Tim David, and Jitesh Sharma, is packed with firepower.
While KKR boasts a well-rounded bowling attack led by Narine, Varun Chakaravarthy, and Anrich Nortje, RCB has opted for experience by signing Bhuvneshwar Kumar and Josh Hazlewood.

KKR will be led by the experienced Ajinkya Rahane, who takes over the reins from Shreyas Iyer. RCB have entrusted Rajat Patidar with the captaincy, marking his first stint as an IPL skipper.

Photo name: Russell
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