VIDEO | IPL 2025 Opening Ceremony: ‘King Khan’ shakes a leg with ‘King Kohli’, Disha Patani sizzles

 ‘Ek hi dil hain, kitne baar jitoge’ (There’s only one heart, how many times will you win it).

A video shared by Kolkata Knight Riders days ahead of the IPL 2025 opener against the Royal Challengers Bengaluru, was captioned thus. It featured Bollywood superstar Shah Rukh Khan, who co-owns the KKR team with the actress Juhi Chawla and her husband Jay Mehta.

‘King Khan’ did just that at the glittering opening ceremony of the IPL 2025 at the Eden Gardens in Kolkata today. Though singers Shreya Ghosal and Karan Aujla enthralled the audience with their songs, and actress Disha Patani left the viewers spellbound with her dance moves, the loudest cheers were reserved for Khan.

And he did not disappoint. He captivated the audience with his speech and energy, and even got RCB’s star batter Virat Kohli and KKR’s middle-order power-hitter Rinku Singh to dance with him on stage for ‘Lut Put Gaya’ and ‘Jhoome Jo Pathaan’ songs.

He then invited BCCI and IPL officials and the two captains – RCB’s Rajat Patidar and KKR’s Ajinkya Rahane – along with the performers, and they capped off the opening ceremony by singing the national anthem together.

RCB win toss, elect to bowl against KKR

The toss took place soon after the star-studded opening ceremony, with RCB skipper Patidar calling it right and electing to bowl against the defending champions on their home ground.

KKR last faced RCB in the opening match of an IPL season in the inaugural edition – in 2008.

Patidar replaced Faf du Plessis as the RCB skipper, while Rahane took over from Shreyas Iyer, who led KKR to their third IPL title last year.

KKR and RCB playing XIs:

RCB:

Virat Kohli, Phil Salt (wk), Rajat Patidar (C), Liam Livingstone, Jitesh Sharma, Tim David, Krunal Pandya, Rasikh Dar, Suyash Sharma, Josh Hazlewood, Yash Dayal.

KKR:

Quinton de Kock(w), Venkatesh Iyer, Ajinkya Rahane(c), Rinku Singh, Angkrish Raghuvanshi, Sunil Narine, Andre Russell, Ramandeep Singh, Spencer Johnson, Harshit Rana, Varun Chakaravarthy.