File photo of Virat Kohli and Andre Russell© BCCI/Sportzpics
Defending Indian Premier League (IPL) champions Kolkata Knight Riders are set to take on the Virat Kohli-starring Royal Challengers Bengaluru in the season-opening clash on Saturday. The opening ceremony performances have also been scheduled, with Disha Patani and Shreyas Ghosal among the artists performing. However, just a day before the curtain-raiser, a damning update has emerged from Kolkata. The opening match of the season is at a big risk of complete abandonment, with the weather department issuing an Orange Alert.
The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has predicted thunderstorms and rain for South Bengal from Thursday to Sunday. For March 22, on the opening day of IPL 2025, an Orange Alert has been issued while a Yellow Alert has been issued for Sunday.
According to Accuweather, there’s a 74% chance of rain in Kolkata on Saturday while cloud cover is likely to be at 97%. The chance of rainfall increases to 90% in the evening. Hence, it is all but certain that the Eden Gardens will receive plenty of showers on the opening day of the 18th edition of the IPL. Whether the KKR and RCB manage to play enough overs to produce a result, is tough to say at the moment.
Incidentally, one match at the Eden Gardens is already getting rescheduled. The Knight Riders’ home game against Lucknow Super Giants on April 6 is set to be shifted to Guwahati as police has expressed its inability to provide security for the IPL contest due to ‘Ram Navami’ celebrations in the city on the day, CAB president Snehasish Ganguly told PTI.
BJP leader Suvendu Adhikari had announced that over 20,000 processions are being organised across West Bengal to celebrate the festival “We have informed the BCCI to reschedule the match, but there is no scope for rescheduling the game in the city later and I’m now hearing that it’s going to be shifted to Guwahati,” Cricket Association of Bengal (CAB) President Ganguly told PTI.
The clash between KKR and LSG, owned by RPSG Group chairman Sanjiv Goenka, was expected to draw a packed house, with both teams boasting strong local support.
With PTI Inputs
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