Kolkata: The much-anticipated opening match of IPL 2025 is set to feature defending champions Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) against Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB), led by Virat Kohli, on Saturday.
Adding to the excitement, the opening ceremony will showcase performances by Disha Patani and Shreyas Ghoshal.
However, just a day ahead of the big clash, an alarming weather update has surfaced from Kolkata, putting the season opener in jeopardy.
IMD Issues Orange Alert for IPL 2025 Opener
According to the India Meteorological Department (IMD), South Bengal is expected to experience thunderstorms and heavy rainfall from Thursday to Sunday.
For March 22, the IPL 2025 opening day, an Orange Alert has been issued, while a Yellow Alert is in place for Sunday.
Weather forecasts from Accuweather indicate a 74% probability of rain during the day, with cloud cover reaching 97%.
The situation worsens in the evening, with rain chances rising to 90%, making it highly likely that Eden Gardens will witness significant showers.
The big question remains—will the match see enough playtime to determine a result?
KKR vs LSG Match Likely to be Shifted to Guwahati
Meanwhile, another KKR home match has already been affected.
Their fixture against Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) on April 6 is set to be moved to Guwahati.
The decision follows the West Bengal Police’s inability to provide security due to Ram Navami celebrations on the same day.
Cricket Association of Bengal (CAB) President Snehasish Ganguly confirmed that they have notified the BCCI regarding the scheduling issue.
He mentioned that since a rescheduling option within Kolkata isn’t feasible, the match is expected to be shifted to Guwahati.
With IPL 2025 kicking off under weather uncertainties, fans are eagerly waiting to see whether the season opener will go ahead as planned or face disruptions.