RCB vs KKR, the second match of the second leg of IPL 2021 was special for few reasons. Firstly, this was the first match that Virat Kohli will lead the side after confirming to quit his RCB captaincy after IPL 2021. Secondly, this was the 200th IPL match for Virat Kohli in RCB jersey and IPL. This makes him the only and first player to play 200 matches for a single franchise. However, the match did not go the same way Virat would have wished. But, surely it was for the men in purple, Kolkata Knight Riders.

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With the pressure of winning a minimum of six out of the remaining seven matches, KKR looked desperate soon after Virat Kohli chose to bat after winning the toss. Varun Chakravarthy and Prasidh Krishna shared the new ball for KKR. Krishna pulled the trigger for the Knights as he trapped the opponent captain in front of the wicket in his first over. Even the DRS could not save Kohli.

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Then it was Devdutt Padikkal who went for 22 trying to uppercut a quick short ball from Lockie Ferguson. Post that debutant KS Bharat and Glenn Maxwell tried to pull things off. But a bouncer from Andre Russell got too high for Bharat as RCB lost their third. Now all the eyes were on AB de Villiers. But a quick yorker from Russell unsettled the stumps as Mr.360 went for a golden duck.

Glenn Maxwell looked frustrated as he tried to hawk one from Varun Chakravarthy and got clean bowled. Then the rest of the team fell like a house of cards as Hasaranga's debut with the bat lasted only one ball. Sachin Baby could not do much either. In the end, RCB got all-out for only 92. Russell and Varun both finished with 3 wickets apiece.

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KKR's chase - RCB vs KKR

Thinking of the run rate for the later stages of the tournament, KKR went bang on from the go. Debutant Venkatesh Iyer did not hold back as well. The big left-hander from Madhya Pradesh started his IPL career with some big shots against Kyle Jamieson. Watching his partner go for it, Shubman Gill started showing his class as well.

Few straight down the grounds from Gill and power shots from Iyer took KKR past fifty in no time. Soon Kohli turned on to Chahal and Hasaranga but failed. A sweep from Gill sent the signal that he meant business. Gill who was out of cricket for last month showed no signs of lack of confidence.

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Kohli then asked for Harshal Patel, the purple cap winner to have a go at the openers. However, he could not even break the partnership. Furthermore, Iyer looked more confident as the reverse scooped Hasaranga for a four. However, RCB tasted their first wicket as Gill tried to hit Chahal out of the park. Gill went for a well made 48

In the end, KKR thrashed an average looking RCB with 61 balls left and 9 wickets in hand. Iyer finished off with a powerful 41 runs of 27 balls.

The City of Joy lived up to its billing during the IPL 2025 season as the Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) turned Eden Gardens into a pulsating theatre of colour, creativity, and fandom.

The defending champions took fan experience to new heights by unveiling an unprecedented 14 different tifos across 7 home matches, setting a cultural benchmark not just in the IPL, but in Indian sport.

A ‘tifo’ often refers to a choreographed visual display, typically involving large banners, flags, or signs, performed by sports fans.

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From electrifying player-centric designs to moments to commemorate the ‘home of champions’, KKR delivered multiple tifos throughout the season, with the marquee clash against Chennai Super Kings (CSK) at the Eden Gardens witnessing a staggering seven unique tifos being unfurled.

Each tifo was conceptualised and executed to reflect the ethos of the franchise, reflecting fearlessness, expressiveness, and a deep connection to its city and its supporters, while also carrying the famous ‘Korbo, Lorbo, Jeetbo’ motto.

The unveiling of multiple tifos throughout the season not only added to the matchday experience but also reiterated KKR's commitment to their fans and the atmosphere at Eden Gardens. The initiative not only celebrated the team but also paid tribute to the loyal Knight Riders’ fan base, who have consistently packed the stands and brought the fortress to life.

The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has announced the resumption of the IPL 2025, bringing cheer to cricket fans across the nation. Following detailed discussions with government and security agencies, the BCCI has confirmed that the season will proceed with a revised schedule, ensuring both safety and excitement.

IPL 2025 was suspended for one week due to the rising tension between India and Pakistan. It will be interesting to see with most of the foreign players already going back home, they will return for the remainder of the IPL 2025 or not. 

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The remaining 17 matches will be played across six venues, kicking off on May 17, 2025, and concluding with the final on June 3, 2025. The schedule includes two double-header Sundays, adding to the thrill of the tournament. The playoff stage is set as follows:

• Qualifier 1: May 29

• Eliminator: May 30

• Qualifier 2: June 1

• Final: June 3

The BCCI expressed gratitude to India’s armed forces for their bravery and resilience, which have made the safe return of the IPL possible. The Board emphasised its commitment to the national interest while ensuring the successful completion of the league.

🚨 IPL 2025 to restart from 17th May, final to played on June 3rd!

Lucknow, Jaipur, Delhi and Ahmedabad get two matches each. #IPL2025 #ipl2025update pic.twitter.com/roLXGwEzK0

— Sportz Point (@sportz_point) May 12, 2025

IPL 2025 Revised schedule

"Catches win matches" is a well-known proverb that is crucial in terms of cricket. Having exceptional fielders who would get to any extent to grab match-winning catches is a blessing for teams.

IPL has witnessed some unbelievably good fielding efforts from players across the globe. Here's the ones that stood out for their consistency, having the most catches in IPL history.

Virat Kohli (117 catches)

Virat Kohli is one of the fittest athletes in the world and is also considered as an expectional fielder for India. He always lits up the stadium with his energy and agility while fielding for his team.

Kohli has taken a total of 117 catches in 263 matches so far, which is the highest in IPL history. He is barely seen missing or letting the ball go off his hand.

His contributions in aspect of taking catches remains hard to beat, and hopefully there are more to come in the upcoming matches in IPL for RCB.

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Suresh Raina (109 catches)

Suresh Raina's contribution in IPL goes beyond his batting performance. He has taken 109 catches in 205 matches for Chennai Super Kings and Gujarat Lions.

Raina ended his IPL journey in 2021 and still his second place in the list of most catches stays unbeaten. He is among the top Indian fielders who took some match-winning catches.

Ravindra Jadeja (108 catches)

Ravindra Jadeja is one name that everyone anticipates when it comes to the category of fielding and catching. His quick reflexes and fielding abilities made him one of the best fielders in the history of not only IPL, but also Indian cricket. 

Jadeja has taken 108 catches in 251 matches for CSK, GL, KTK, and RR. He consistently worked towards taking important wickets for the team and saving boundaries when needed. 

Jadeja also played a crucial role in CSK's success over the years.

Kieron Pollard (103 catches)

Kieron Pollard has served as a fielding pillar for Mumbai Indians throughout his IPL career. He often changed the course of the game in favour of his team by taking difficult catches.

Pollard has taken 103 catches in 189 matches for MI, and some of them were too good to be true! His athleticism proved to be beneficial everytime he is on field, specially near the boundary.

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Rohit Sharma (102 catches)

Rohit Sharma is another Indian player having a catch count of more than hundred in IPL. He has taken 103 catches in 267 matches for MI and DCH. He has proved to be a dependable fielder for his team throughout.

Rohit's game awareness and experience played a crucial role in his fielding, which also aligned with the field setup and his captaincy. He is the 5th player to have 100+ catches in IPL history.

Some IPL innings leave you speechless. The talented players in this tournament have taken the stage to another level with their explosive batting over the years.

Check out the entire article to know some names that will definitely shock you.

10. Suresh Raina (2014) | 16 balls

Suresh Raina is one of the players to score the fastest half-century in the early seasons of IPL. He took only 16 balls to reach his fifty, making it look super easy for the fans.

Raina was the opening batter for CSK and scored this in a match against PBKS in IPL 2024. The endless boundaries that came off his bat in this inning is hard to forget!

Other players who scored a century from 16 balls:

• Ishan Kishan (MI) - 2021
• Abhishek Sharma (SRH) - 2024
• Travis Head (SRH)- 2024

9 & 8. Jake Fraser-McGurk (2024) | 15 balls

Jake Fraser-McGurk, who played for Delhi Capitals in IPL 2024, stunned the spectators with his back-to-back fastest fifties in 2 matches. He scored both the fifties off 15 balls which is quite astonishing as it was his debut season.

McGurk’s consecutive fifties secured both the 9th and 8th position in top 10 fastest fifties in IPL history.

He proved to be highly impactful for DC and these half centuries against MI and SRH made him more impressive. Moreover, he smashed 330 runs in 9 matches with a strike rate above 200.

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7. Nicholas Pooran (2023) | 15 balls

The West Indies power-hitter, Nicholas Pooran, put up a shower of boundaries during his fastest fifty of IPL career from just 15 balls. He scored 62 runs (off 19 balls) in his knock, hitting 7 sixes and 4 fours.

Pooran had a strike rate of 326.32 which says a lot about the kind of mindset and form he was in during the match of LSG vs RCB. 

6. Sunil Narine (2017) | 15 balls

This superstar from the West Indies has never failed to amaze us, be it with the ball or bat. Sunil Narine showcased his exceptional batting skills with this 15-ball half century in IPL 2017.

Narine has played several crucial knocks for KKR in the history of IPL, but with this one, he proved how he is equally capable with the bat and can do wonders.

5. Yusuf Pathan (2014) | 15 balls

Yusuf Pathan scored a sensational fifty against SRH off 15 balls in IPL 2014. He single-handedly took the game home for KKR with his 72 runs off just 22 balls in this inning, with a strike rate above 300.

It shows that KKR indeed had some fearless power-hitters in their team throughout IPL history. 

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4. Romario Shepherd (2025) | 14 balls

Romario Shepherd became the only batter in IPL 2025 to score a fifty so fast that could make its way to the top 10 fastest fifties in IPL. He helped RCB reach a 200+ total during the first inning against CSK, which was enough to be a defendable total.

Shepherd hit 6 sixes and 4 fours to score 53* off 14 balls. He was also given player of the match award for his spectacular knock.

3. Pat Cummins (2022) | 14 balls

Here comes a surprising half-century from the Australian all-rounder, Pat Cummins, who scored 50 off 14 balls for KKR in IPL 2022. He helped to seal the victory for his team against MI by 5 wickets (24 balls left). 

Cummins unveiled his boundary-hitting capabilities with 4 fours and 6 sixes, leaving the fans shocked. It is considered to be one of the finest knocks in IPL where he truly showcased his batting skills when needed.

2. KL Rahul (2018) | 14 balls

KL Rahul, who is now known for his calm and composed batting style, holds the second position in the list of top 10 fastest fifties in IPL history. Quite shocking, isn't it?

This was back in IPL 2018 when Rahul showed no mercy to the bowlers of Delhi Capitals with his magnificent fifty off just 14 balls.

He was the opening batter of PBKS, who kept the fans on the edge of their seats from the beginning of the inning.

Read Also: IPL Records: Youngest Half-centurions in IPL History

Yashasvi Jaiswal (2023) | 13 balls

An all-time shocker of an innings from Yashasvi Jaiswal, which remains unmatched till date! He scored fifty off 13 balls, making it the fastest half-century in IPL history.

Jaiswal scored a total of 98 runs (from 47 balls) in this match against KKR and led Rajasthan Royals to victory. He hit the ball out of the boundary line in every direction possible, and was barely seen running between the wickets.

This performance goes down the history of unbelievable knocks in IPL.

As part of their continued commitment to empowering the community and celebrating everyday heroes, the Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) are set to bring their Shahoshi Rani initiative to the ongoing IPL 2025 season. This unique initiative honours women who have shown exceptional bravery, resilience, and determination in the face of adversity. 

These Shahoshi Ranis will be at the heart of KKR’s message of celebrating strength, inspiring change, and fostering inclusivity in sport when the defending champions take on the Chennai Super Kings (CSK) at the Eden Gardens on May 7.

As part of the campaign, 40 Shahoshi Ranis will be present at the KKR practice session, having the opportunity to watch the team train, interact with the players and coaching staff, and spend time with franchise co-owner Juhi Chawla, who will also be present to engage with these remarkable women.

To further amplify the initiative beyond the cricket field, KKR’s practice jerseys ahead of their match against CSK will prominently carry the Shahoshi Rani logo on the back. As a personal gesture of recognition, each player and member of the support staff will also don the names of each Shahoshi Rani beneath the logo, symbolising a bond between the team and the women they are honouring.

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In addition, the team will be filming select moments from the practice session, capturing the inspiring interactions between the Shahoshi Ranis and the players. These stories will be shared across digital platforms to spotlight the strength and spirit these women represent, not just to the team, but to the global audience.

Speaking about the initiative, Juhi Chawla, Co-Owner of Kolkata Knight Riders, said, "Shahoshi Rani is more than just a campaign, it’s a celebration of real courage. These women are an inspiration, and we are honoured to share our platform with them. We hope their stories move others as much as they’ve moved us."

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The Shahoshi Rani initiative is one of several community-led efforts championed by KKR, reflecting their commitment to using sport as a tool to bring about a positive change, amplify voices that matter and inspire people beyond the cricket field.