Bengaluru (Karnataka) [India]: The Indian Premier League (IPL) 2025 match between Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) and Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR), scheduled for Saturday in Bengaluru, may face disruption due to rain, according to ESPNcricinfo.
Weather forecasts from Accuweather predict thunderstorms, some possibly severe, from Saturday afternoon into the evening. The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has also forecasted evening showers or thundershowers.
The forecast has already impacted team preparations. RCB held their training session early from 2 PM to 5 PM, with Mo Bobat, RCB’s Director of Cricket, explaining the timing was chosen because of the unpredictable weather. KKR, meanwhile, began practice around 5 PM but had to wrap up within 90 minutes.
Bengaluru has seen persistent rainfall throughout the week. On Friday, it began raining around 9:30 PM and continued for several hours—similar to the previous night.
A washed-out game could deal a serious blow to KKR’s playoff hopes. With 11 points and two games remaining, an abandonment would mean sharing points. This would cap their total at 14, likely insufficient for a playoff spot. Earlier in the season, KKR’s game against Punjab Kings (PBKS) was also abandoned due to rain.
RCB, on the other hand, are in a stronger position. Even if Saturday’s match is cancelled, they remain in playoff contention and could still challenge for a top-two finish. Rain had already reduced one of their previous matches—also against PBKS at the M Chinnaswamy Stadium—to 14 overs per side.
Mo Bobat commented on the team’s mindset around the unpredictable weather:
“When you get to game day, you can’t control it.”
“So, actually, you want your players to feel as clear and relaxed as possible. You trust them to make decisions in the moment, regardless of what happens.”
“We don’t overthink any of those things really. If the game’s rain affected, it’s rain affected. It’s not something any of us control. So, we don’t really think too much about that, but it might influence our preparation.”
Fortunately, Chinnaswamy Stadium boasts a high-quality drainage system, enabling quicker resumption of play once rain stops.
Rain could also impact upcoming fixtures. Bengaluru is set to host RCB vs Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) on May 23, while Mumbai, another rain-hit city, will host Mumbai Indians (MI) vs Delhi Capitals (DC) on May 21.
Kolkata, which will host Qualifier 2 and the IPL 2025 Final on June 3, may also see weather interruptions as the monsoon typically arrives in early June.