The wait is over—IPL 2025 has begun with a bang on March 22, 2025, as Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) lock horns with Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) at Eden Gardens, Kolkata. Barely into the match, RCB’s Josh Hazlewood has lit the fuse, sending KKR’s Quinton de Kock back to the pavilion for just 4 runs, thanks to a sensational diving catch by Jitesh Sharma. The opener is off to a thrilling start—here’s everything you need to know about the players lighting up today’s clash!
🚨 Indian Premier League 2025, RCB vs KKR 🚨
— Sporcaster (@Sporcaster) March 22, 2025
Josh Hazlewood takes the wicket of Quinton de Kock #RCBvsKKR #RCBvKKR #KKRvsRCB #KKRvRCB #IPL2025 #TATAIPL2025 #TATAIPL #PlayBold #ನಮ್ಮRCB #KorboLorboJeetbo #QuintondeKock #JoshHazlewood #JiteshSharma pic.twitter.com/aJixYoHyli
Match Snapshot
🏏 Match: KKR vs RCB, IPL 2025 Match 1
📅 Date: March 22, 2025
🏟️ Venue: Eden Gardens, Kolkata
⏰ Time: 7:30 PM IST (Live Now)
📺 Watch Live: JioHotstar
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The Game-Changer: Hazlewood Dismantles de Kock!
The crowd at Eden Gardens held its breath as Josh Hazlewood steamed in against KKR’s new opener, Quinton de Kock. A nip-backer from a good length curved in sharply, catching de Kock in no-man’s-land—neither forward nor back. With a tentative poke and no footwork, the South African chopped it with hard hands, sending a thick inside edge flying low. Jitesh Sharma, RCB’s wicketkeeper, flung himself to his right, snagging a stunning catch inches off the turf. The fourth umpire checked—was it clean? Yes! De Kock trudged off for 4(5), including one boundary, leaving KKR reeling early.
Confirmed Playing XIs
The toss is done, and here’s who’s taking the field today, with de Kock’s exit already shaking things up:
Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR)
- Ajinkya Rahane (C)
- Quinton de Kock (WK) – Out: c Jitesh Sharma b Hazlewood 4(5)
- Venkatesh Iyer
- Nitish Rana
- Rinku Singh
- Andre Russell
- Sunil Narine
- Ramandeep Singh
- Harshit Rana
- Varun Chakravarthy
- Spencer Johnson
Impact Sub: Vaibhav Arora
Note: De Kock’s early exit puts pressure on Rahane and Iyer to rebuild.
Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB)
- Phil Salt
- Virat Kohli
- Rajat Patidar (C)
- Devdutt Padikkal
- Glenn Maxwell
- Jitesh Sharma (WK)
- Liam Livingstone
- Krunal Pandya
- Bhuvneshwar Kumar
- Josh Hazlewood
- Yash Dayal
Impact Sub: Swapnil Singh
Note: Hazlewood’s strike and Jitesh’s brilliance give RCB the upper hand.
Stars of the Moment
Josh Hazlewood (RCB)
- Role: Pace Spearhead
- Highlight: That wicket-taking nip-backer—pure class!
- Stat: 33 wickets in 35 IPL matches now—deadly in the powerplay.
Quinton de Kock (KKR)
- Role: Opener/Wicketkeeper
- Moment: A rare flop—4(5) won’t sit well with the ₹5 crore star.
- Stat: 3,000+ IPL runs, but a quiet start to 2025.
Jitesh Sharma (RCB)
- Role: Wicketkeeper/Batsman
- Highlight: A low, diving catch—game-changer behind the stumps!
- Stat: Known for quick hands—already proving it.
What’s Next in KKR vs RCB?
KKR’s top order faces a test with de Kock gone—can Venkatesh Iyer (₹23.75 crore) and Andre Russell step up? RCB’s pace attack, led by Hazlewood and Bhuvneshwar Kumar, smells blood on Eden’s bouncy track. But don’t count KKR out—Narine’s spin and Russell’s power could flip this yet. The pitch favors batting, so expect a high-scoring thriller if KKR stabilize!
Who’s Your Player of the Match?
Hazlewood’s early strike has RCB buzzing—can he keep it up? Or will KKR’s big guns fire back? Tell us in the comments who’s stealing the show! Follow us on [X: @healthnplay] for real-time updates as this IPL 2025 opener unfolds. Catch every ball live on JioHotstar!
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