Looks like the start of the Indian Premier League’s 18th season might be a washout if the Kolkata weather forecast is correct. IPL 2025 kicks off with an opening ceremony on Friday, March 22, and then the first game between the Kolkata Knight Riders, who are the champs, and Royal Challengers Bengaluru at Eden Gardens. But, the Indian Meteorological Department (IMD) has put out an orange alert for parts of West Bengal from March 20 to March 22.
The Regional Meteorological Centre Kolkata is saying there’s a good chance of thunderstorms with lightning and strong winds in some areas of West Bengal between March 20 and 22, 2025.
According to the IMD, West Bengal will probably get light to moderate rain from March 19 to 22.
The IMD said, There’s a trough from central Odisha to Vidarbha, and winds are meeting over east and nearby central India because of the trough and an anticyclonic circulation over the Bay of Bengal at lower levels.
They also said, Expect light to moderate rain, thunderstorms, lightning, and gusty winds over sub-Himalayan West Bengal and Sikkim on March 20 and 21.
Eden Gardens was covered up on Thursday to protect it from the rain before the T20 league’s opening ceremony. Shreyas Ghosal, Karan Aujla, and Disha Patani are supposed to perform at the ceremony, which starts at 6 PM IST on Saturday. After that, KKR and RCB will face off in the first game of the season at 7:30 PM IST.
KKR, with their new captain Ajinkya Rahane, will start trying to win another title. They’ve won three times, with their most recent win last year under Shreyas Iyer, who’s now with Punjab Kings. RCB will try again for their first title, also with a new captain, Rajat Patidar.
