Indian Premier League (IPL) 2025 is set to restart after an 8-day pause. The 18th season was temporarily halted amid escalating tensions between India and Pakistan. Now, the tournament will resume as planned from this Saturday.
The 58th match of IPL 2025 will be played between Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) and Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) on May 17 at the M. Chinnaswamy Stadium, Bengaluru. RCB, currently in excellent form, is eyeing a direct entry into the playoffs, while KKR is fighting to stay alive in the tournament.
This match in crucial for Kolkata, who must win both of their remaining games and hope for favorable results from other teams to keep their playoff hopes alive. On the other hand, Bangalore has won 8 out of 11 matches, and one more win could seal their place in the playoffs.
RCB has won 8 out of 11 matches so far and looks like a strong playoff contender. KKR, on the other hand, has had a rough patch – winning only 5 out of 12 matches – and must win to keep their playoff hopes alive. Despite this, the head-to-head record tilts in Kolkata’s favor.
Head-to-Head: KKR has upper hand
RCB and KKR have clashed 35 times in IPL history.
KKR has won 20 matches
RCB has claimed victory in 15 matches
Even earlier this season, KKR defeated RCB. Looking at their recent five encounters, KKR leads 4-1, which gives them a clear psychological advantage heading into this crucial face-off.
RCB’s likely playing XI: Jacob Bethell/Phil Salt, Virat Kohli, Swastik Chikara/Mayank Agarwal, Rajat Patidar (captain, fitness-dependent), Jitesh Sharma (wicketkeeper), Tim David, Krunal Pandya, Romario Shepherd, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Lungi Ngidi, Yash Dayal. Impact player: Suyash Sharma
KKR’s likely playing XI: Rahmanullah Gurbaz (wicketkeeper), Sunil Narine, Ajinkya Rahane (captain), Angkrish Raghuvanshi, Manish Pandey, Andre Russell, Rinku Singh, Moeen Ali, Ramandeep Singh, Vaibhav Arora, Varun Chakravarthy. Impact player: Harshit Rana
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