Match overview
Royal Challengers Bangalore beat Kolkata Knight Riders by 7 wickets at Eden Gardens, Kolkata, on 22 March 2025. KKR batted first and posted 174/8, a score that looked competitive on paper but proved insufficient. RCB's openers dismantled the target from the first over, reaching 80 without loss inside the powerplay before cruising to 177/3. Hardik Pandya took the Player of the Match award. The margin was comfortable; the chase was rarely in doubt.
For context, this was the first time RCB had beaten KKR since 2022. Kolkata had won four consecutive meetings, including by 81 runs at this very ground two years earlier, so the result carries some significance in the season standings beyond the two points.
Venue and conditions
Eden Gardens is one of the most data-rich T20 venues in the world, with 171 matches on record. Its average first-innings score across that sample is 186, so KKR's 174/8 came in 12 runs below the ground's norm. The average second-innings score is 170, meaning RCB's 177/3 came in 7 runs above that benchmark. Both sides performed near the historical mean, but the margin between them was enough.
The powerplay told the clearest story. Eden Gardens' average powerplay score is 44 runs. KKR managed 60/1 in theirs, which was strong. RCB went one step further and posted 80/0, the best powerplay of the match and a figure well ahead of the venue average. The chase success rate at this ground sits at 53 per cent, and the toss-winner has chosen to field 58 per cent of the time, both figures consistent with what unfolded on the night.
Death overs at Eden Gardens average 38 runs per innings. KKR's 29/3 in overs 16 to 20 was the phase where their innings stalled. Three wickets in that stretch compressed their total and left RCB with a reachable number.
How to watch
IPL matches are broadcast in the UK on Sky Sports Cricket, with live streaming available through Sky Go and NOW TV. For mid-week evening fixtures in India, the UK broadcast window typically falls in the early to mid-afternoon. Sky's coverage generally includes pre-match analysis and post-match review, so there is rarely a need to seek highlights elsewhere for subscribers.
Recent form
Kolkata Knight Riders arrived at this fixture carrying genuine momentum from 2024, having won five matches on the bounce: two against Sunrisers Hyderabad, two against Mumbai Indians, and one against Lucknow Super Giants. That run included a title-winning campaign, so KKR were not short of confidence.
Royal Challengers Bangalore's recent record was slightly more mixed. Four wins from their last five, with defeats coming against Rajasthan Royals, meant they were in decent form without quite matching KKR's recent consistency. The powerplay performance here, however, suggested a top order operating with real conviction. With Bangalore taking this win and KKR's head-to-head advantage now trimmed slightly, the next encounter between these sides takes on added interest.
