Kolkata Knight Riders Announce Trophy Tour Ahead of IPL 2025
The defending Champions Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) are set to make history with a first-of-its-kind IPL Trophy Tour ahead of IPL 2025, starting from February 14.
After a memorable campaign in the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2024, culminating in the title win, the defending Champions Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) are set to make history with a first-of-its-kind Trophy Tour. As part of their championship celebrations, the franchise will travel along with the coveted trophy across multiple cities in India to connect with the heart of their fanbase.
This marks the first time in history that a TATA IPL franchise is organising a Trophy Tour beyond their home city. The initiative aims to give the nationwide KKR fans a chance to interact with the trophy and witness their favourite team’s achievement in all its glory.
Ahead of the new season, the extensive tour will see the prestigious IPL trophy journey across nine cities, starting from February 14 in Guwahati and finally making a return to the City of Joy in Kolkata by March 12 & 16. The tour will cover multiple regions including Guwahati, Bhubaneswar, Jamshedpur, Ranchi, Gangtok, Siliguri, Patna, Durgapur and Kolkata.
Through this initiative, KKR aims to create memorable experiences for the fans who have constantly shown their support for the team throughout the years. The franchise wants to invite them to be a part of the celebration with the Knight Riders’ family. The engagement will give the fans a first-hand experience of the trophy, while also allowing them an opportunity to create their own memories with the ultimate prize.
As part of this special celebration, the fans can participate in exciting cricket-themed games including Cricket Rock Paper Scissors and Cricket Pong. Each visitor will have a chance to win fantastic prizes and take home special KKR giveaways, making their trophy viewing experience even more memorable.
Binda Dey, Group CMO, Knight Riders Sports, said, “We are very excited to bring the Trophy Tour to our fans in Eastern India. Due to some unavoidable reasons, we couldn’t do a victory march in Kolkata after the title win last season. For us, our fans are like family. They have showered KKR with immense love, in good times and bad. This tour is our attempt at bringing back to the fans, the trophy our players had won through their constant love and support last season.”
Tour Trophy cities and dates:
14th February: Guwahati, City Center Mall 16th February: Bhubaneshwar, Nexus Esplanade Mall 21st February: Jamshedpur, P&M Hi Tec Mall 23rd February: Ranchi, JD Hi Street Mall 28th February: Gangtok, West Point Mall 2nd March: Siliguri, City Center Mall 7th March: Patna, City Center Mall 9th March: Durgapur, Junction Mall 12th March: Kolkata, City Center Mall 16th March: Kolkata, South City Mall
Punjab Kings vs Mumbai Indians IPL 2025 Qualifier 2 Preview, Head-to-head, Possible XIs and Fantasy Team Prediction
Read the full match preview, head-to-head stats, possible playing XIs, and Fantasy Team Prediction of the Punjab Kings vs Mumbai Indians Qualifier 2 match in IPL 2025.
Punjab Kings, who are trying to win their first title, will face a tough challenge from five-time champions Mumbai Indians in the Qualifier 2 of the IPL 2025 at Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad on Sunday.
Shreyas Iyer-led Punjab Kings suffered a crushing defeat over Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) in the first qualifier, which would have certainly shaken their confidence. While Mumbai Indians took another step towards their sixth title by defeating title favourites Gujarat Titans in the Eliminator. The winner will confirm their fixture in the final of the tournament against Royal Challengers Bengaluru on June 3.
Now, both PBKS and MI are set to play their last league match of the season. PBKS, who have qualified for playoffs after 11 years, finished ahead in the points table and get the top-two spot. On the other hand, the five-time champions MI also looked in dominant form in the later stage of the tournament and qualified for the playoffs despite having a poor start in the season.
From possible playing XIs to head-to-head record, here is everything you need to know about the Punjab Kings vs Mumbai Indians Qualifier 2 in IPL 2025.
Match Details
Match: Punjab Kings vs Mumbai Indians
Tournament: IPL 2025, Qualifier 2
Date: 1 June 2025
Time: 7:30 PM IST
Venue: Narendra Modi Stadium, Ahmedabad
Streaming Details
Cricket fans from India can watch the Punjab Kings vs Mumbai Indians Qualifier 2 on Star Sports TV Channels on Television. They can also stream the match LIVE on JioHotstar for free.
Pitch Report
The surface of the Narendra Modi Stadium looks good for batting where we can expect a 200-plus total getting scored easily in the first innings. It also has a good bounce where the fast bowlers can get the movement. Out of 42 IPL matches played at this ground, the team batting first and bowling have won 21 matches each. The average score batting first at this ground in 176 runs.
Weather Report
The weather forecast for the Punjab Kings vs Mumbai Indians Qualifier 2 is predominantly fine, with no rain anticipated to disrupt play on a hot and humid day. The wind speed is expected to be between 15 and 30 km/h on match day, while the temperature could range between 27 and 36 degrees Celsius. The humidity is predicted to be around 51-64%.
PBKS vs MI: Head-to-Head Record
Punjab Kings and Mumbai Indians have faced each other 33 times in the IPL history so far. Out of these 33 matches, MI won 17 times while PBKS defeated them on 16 occasions.
The IPL is like a festival of sports for India as we call it. It is also the festival of explosive and jaw-dropping sixes. The list for most sixes hit by any batter in IPL history is led by one and only, Chris Gayle. It is not surprising one bit, is it?
Dive into the list of several batters that are so close to match Gayle's six-hitting numbers, where some names will surely surprise you.
1. Chris Gayle (357 sixes)
Chris Gayle playing for RCB in IPL. Image | ESPNcricinfo
When it comes to hitting sixes in IPL, there is Chris Gayle, and then there's everyone else. This West Indies legend tops the chart for most sixes hit by any batter in IPL history with 357 sixes (in just141 innings)!
Gayle's IPL journey spanned from 2009 to 2021, and he was the first batsman to cross the 300-mark in terms of sixes. He displayed his batting peak with franchises like KKR, PBKS, and especially RCB.
His most memorable six-hitting moment of IPL came in 2013 when he smashed 175* runs off 66 balls against PWI, hitting 17 explosive sixes.
Rohit Sharma playing for Mumbai Indians in IPL. Image | Instagram
Known for his aggressive start and batting, Rohit Sharma, is the only batter who has hit 300+ sixes after Gayle in IPL history. He holds the second place, with 302 sixes (in 265 innings).
The hitman doesn't like to take things slow, and always delivers the ball out of the boundary with his powerful pulls and cover drives. Once he gets in his six-hitting zone, it truly gets difficult to stop him!
Sharma has consistently stood up for the team, and these numbers are about to get high as he will continue to play and dominate in IPL in the future.
3. Virat Kohli (291 sixes)
Virat Kohli playing for Royal Challengers Bengaluru in IPL. Image | Instagram
When has it occurred that there's a list of excellent batting records where this man doesn't hold a spot?
Virat Kohli, the batting maestro, holds the 3rd position with 291 sixes (in 258 innings). Even though he is widely known for his exquisitecover drives and hitting smooth boundaries, his ability to time the ball perfectly out for a six has been phenomenal throughout his IPL career.
Kohli is just 9 sixes away to cross the 300-mark, that he might cross in IPL 2025 itself!
MS Dhoni playing for CSK in IPL. Image | ESPNcricinfo
MS Dhoni, like the greatest finisher he is, has hit an impressive 264 sixes (in 242 innings) in his IPL career so far. He has been brutal in the death overs and has always made sure his team takes the victory home when he his unbeaten at the crease.
Dhoni's six-hitting skills often changes the momentum of the game and puts the opposition under immense pressure, as he becomes unstoppable!
5. AB de Villiers (251 sixes)
AB de Villiers playing for RCB in IPL. Image | Facebook
The South African legend, AB de Villiers, holds several batting records and had delivered many cherishable moments for RCB throughout his IPL journey (2008-2021), and this is one of them. He is the 5th batter to have 250+ sixes in IPL history.
He hit 251 sixes (in 170 innings) which tells a lot about his phenomenal skills and love for hitting sixes. He had the ability to deliver the ball in every corner of the stadium and was called "Mr. 360" for a reason!
Royal Challengers Bangalore reached the final by defeating Punjab Kings in the first qualifier of IPL 2025. Punjab Kings lost the qualifier but their chances of winning the title are not over.
The playoffs system was implemented for the first time in 2011, in which Qualifier 1, Eliminator, Qualifier 2 and Final match are played. If the team winning Qualifier 1 reaches the final, then the losing team gets another chance.
The team that wins the Eliminator plays against the team that loses Qualifier 1 and the team that wins this match plays the Final.
Do you know how many times the teams that lost the qualifiers have won the title? Let us take you through the history of the playoffs of the cash rich league.
How many times has the team that lost Qualifier 1 reached the final?
IPL 2024 runner-up team Sunrisers Hyderabad also made it to the finals by winning Qualifier-1 and then Qualifier-2. So far it has happened 11 times that the team that lost Qualifier-1 has reached the final. That is, it has won Qualifier-2. See which teams have reached the finals after losing Qualifier-1 in which season.
Which team won the IPL title after losing Qualifier 1?
Before Punjab Kings in IPL 2025, Mumbai Indians is the only team that has won the IPL trophy even after losing Qualifier 1. Out of 11 seasons, it has happened only twice that the team that lost the qualifier has won the title, while the remaining 9 times such teams have lost in the final.
2017:MI won the trophy by defeating RPS in the final.
2013:MI won the trophy by defeating CSK in the final
Punjab Kings can become the second IPL team to win the title after losing Qualifier 1. On the other hand, Bangalore has reached the IPL 2025 finals earlier also after winning Qualifier 1 but had to face defeat. The good news is that out of 14 times, the teams that won Qualifier 1 have won the title 11 times.
RCB in IPL final: Seasons when RCB qualified for IPL finals
RCB qualified for the IPL final four times so far. They first reached the final in 2009 and then qualified for the IPL finals in 2011 and 2016 before reaching the final in 2025.
Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) have been one of the most popular franchises in IPL history with millions of followers around the globe. However, despite having many great players of the game playing for them, RCB have failed to win the IPL title till now.
In the 18 seasons of the tournament, they have reached the IPL final four times so far. They first reached the final in 2009 and then qualified for the IPL finals once 2011 and another time in 2016, before reaching the final this season. Unfortunately, they have faced defeat on all three previous occasions.
2009 IPL final: Lost vs Deccan Chargers by 6 runs
After beating Chennai Super Kings in the semi-finals of the second season in 2009, RCB qualified for the final. In the final at Johannesburg, RCB bowled first, winning the toss. Their captain, Anil Kumble, was on fire with a spell of 16/4 in 4 overs and restricted Deccan Chargers to 143/6 only. Herschelle Gibbs was the best batter of Deccan with an unbeaten 53 from 48 balls.
But during the chase, RCB struggled from the beginning and even with a good-looking 32 from Roelof van der Merwe, RCB fell 6 runs short of the total. Pragyan Ojha, with 28/3 in 4 overs, was the pick of the bowlers for Deccan in that final.
2011 IPL final: Heavy 58-run defeat against CSK
Two seasons later, RCB again reached the IPL final, this time under Daniel Vettori. RCB had finished at the top of the points table after the league stage, and despite losing the qualifier 1 against CSK, they qualified for the final after beating Mumbai Indians in the second eliminator.
In the final, RCB were asked to bowl first. CSK managed a huge total of 205 in the first inning, with the help of a 95 from Murali Vijay. Chris Gayle was the star with the ball for RCB with 34/2 in four overs.
During the chase, RCB crumbled, and except for Saurabh Tiwary's fighting unbeaten 42 from 34 balls, no one could get going. Virat Kohli also played a slow 32-ball 35 innings. In the end, RCB lost by 58 runs. Ravichandran Ashwin picked up three wickets, giving away just 16 runs in four overs, for CSK.
Among the three defeats in the final, this one is the most heartbreaking for RCB fans. After finishing second in the league stage, they defeated Gujarat Lions in the qualifier 1 to enter the final.
In the final, Sunrisers Hyderabad won the toss and decided to put runs on the board. David Warner scored a stunning 69 from 38 balls, and Ben Cutting, with an unbeaten 39 from 15 balls, took SRH to 208 in the first innings.
Unlike the two previous finals, RCB got off to a flyer during the chase. Chris Gayle smashed 76 from 38 balls while Kohli scored 54 from 35 balls, to finish with a record-breaking 973 run season.
With 67 needed from 8 overs and 8 wickets in hand, RCB struggled under pressure and eventually lost the game by 8 runs.
IPL 2025: Reached the final
RCB qualify for the IPL finals for the fourth time!
Will it be their lucky time this time in Ahmedabad?
RCB finished second in the group stage to set up a date with Punjab Kings in the IPL 2025 final. Josh Hazlewood, Suyash Sharma, and Yash Dayal did exceedingly well to restrict PBKS to 101 in the first inning.
Phil Salt played an incredible inning of unbeaten 56 from 27 balls to take RCB over the final in just 10 overs.
IPL 2025: RCB batters create this unique history before the playoffs
Explore how RCB batters create this unique history before the playoffs with 10 different batters smashing fifties in a single IPL season. Relive the iconic moments of these ten half-centurions in IPL 2025.
Never before has an IPL team displayed such diverse batting depth as Royal Challengers Bengaluru did in IPL 2025. This season, they set a new league record by having 10 different players who each scored at least one half-century.
They broke the previous benchmark set by Mumbai Indians of nine different half-centurions in 2017. Find out how RCB batters create this unique history before the playoffs to take this game to another level.
1. Virat Kohli (8 half-centuries)
Virat Kohli celebration his 8th half century of IPL 2025 against LSG. Image | Pinterest
The chase master, Virat Kohli, is leading the pack with 8 half-centuries to his name in IPL 2025. He started this season with a fifty and ended the league stage with scoring his 8th one of this season.
He's been incredibly consistent throughout, and scored 602 runs in 13 matches, with a strike rate above 147. He is also among the top 5 contenders in the race for Orange Cap.
Phil Salt celebrating his third half century in IPL 2025. Image | ESPNcricinfo
The England batter, Phil Salt, proved to be a key opener along with Kohli for the team in IPL 2025. He also started the season with scoring a fifty against KKR, and contributed with 331 runs across 11 matches played.
Rajat Patidar celebrating his second half century in IPL 2025. Image | BBC
The skipper, Rajat Patidar, has not been able to fire with the bat much, but he stood up for RCB whenever he could. This season, he scored 2 half-centuries against two big teams (MI & CSK).
Patidar fifties in IPL 2025:
vs MI: 64 runs (32 balls)
vs CSK: 51 runs (32 balls)
4. Devdutt Padikkal (2 half-centuries)
Devdutt Padikkal celebrating his second half century in IPL 2025. Image | Facebook
Batting at no. 3, Devdutt Padikkal, has served as a vital asset for RCB in crucial games. He proved the fans how he was deserving of his position in the playing XI, by delivering spectacular knocks and 2 half-centuries.
Unfortunately, Padikkal had to leave mid-season due to injury issues, but his contribution makes him the fourth batter that helped RCB create this unique history before the playoffs.
Jacob Bethell celebrating his maiden IPL fifty in IPL 2025. Image | BBC
The 21-year-old Jacob Bethell is the youngest half-centurion of this season for RCB. He scored his maiden IPL fifty against Chennai Super Kings and made his mark with a banger.
Bethell fifties in IPL 2025:
vs CSK: 55 runs (33 balls)
6. Tim David (1 half-century)
Tim David after scoring his maiden IPL fifty against PBKS in IPL 2025. Image | Instagram
Tim David is like the backbone of RCB who stands strong along the boundary line and never lets a ball pass through! Besides his on-field contribution with his spectacular catching and fielding skills, this power-hitter has delivered with the bat too.
David scored his maiden IPL fifty against PBKS and that was a treat to watch. He comes to bat at crucial times and makes sure his team reaches a defendable total.
Krunal Pandya celebrating his century against DC in IPL 2025. Image | Instagram
Krunal Pandya is one of the most consistent all-rounder of this season for RCB. He has taken crucial wickets for the team and helped them earn those crucial points.
Apart from bowling, Pandya scored a match-winning half-century against Delhi Capitals. He came to bat at the time when RCB's batting order collapsed early, and delivered an amazing knock.
Romario Shepherd celebrating his half-century against CSK in IPL 2025. Image | Instagram
Romario Shepherd's half-century against CSK in IPL 2025 was is an explosive batting tale to talk about. His unbeaten 53* off just 14 balls left the bowlers and spectators stunned!
Shepherd single-handedly scored 33 runs off the 19th over and showered the fans with sixes.
Shepherd fifties in IPL 2025:
vs CSK: 53* runs (14 balls)
Are you not entertained? 🤩
Romario Shepherd thrilled the M. Chinnaswamy Stadium with a 'blink and you miss' knock 🫡🔥
Liam Livingstone celebrating his half-century against GT in IPL 2025. Image | BBC
The English all-rounder, Liam Livingstone, etched his name in the list of half-centurions for RCB by scoring one against Gujarat Titans in their league match. He helped the team reach a respectable total when they had lost all hopes in the first inning of the match.
Livingstone fifties in IPL 2025:
vs GT: 54 runs (40 balls)
10. Jitesh Sharma (1 half-century)
Jitesh Sharma celebrating his match-winning knock against LSG in IPL 2025. Image | Instagram
Here comes the 10th batter whose half-century was a special one for RCB. Jitesh Sharma, who became the stand-in captain for the team, scored his first fifty for the team in their last league match.
He showed no mercy to the bowlers and scored 85* off just 33 balls to help RCB chase down a big total and reach top-two in the points table.
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