Table of Contents
The rivalry between Kolkata Knight Riders and Royal Challengers Bengaluru stretches back to the opening match of the Indian Premier League in 2008. It has produced huge totals, dramatic finishes, dominant spells, record-breaking innings and several memorable individual battles. From Brendon McCullum’s unbeaten 158 in the inaugural IPL game to Virat Kohli’s unbeaten 105 in 2026, the matchup has repeatedly delivered moments that have shaped IPL history. Through the 2026 season, the teams have met 37 times, with KKR winning 20, RCB winning 16 and one match ending without a result.
This timeline covers the rivalry season by season, including the major results, important milestones, tournament meetings, record performances and the most recent encounters. It also explains why certain matches remain particularly significant rather than simply listing scores.
Match Timeline
The rivalry has developed through several distinct phases. KKR dominated the opening encounter and later established a strong advantage during the early 2010s. RCB then produced periods of success, while KKR had particularly strong runs in the mid-to-late 2010s and early 2020s.
| Year | Date | Venue | Result |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2008 | Apr 18 | Bengaluru | KKR won by 140 runs |
| 2008 | May 8 | Kolkata | KKR won by 5 runs |
| 2009 | Apr 29 | Durban | RCB won by 5 wickets |
| 2009 | May 12 | Centurion | RCB won by 6 wickets |
| 2010 | Mar 14 | Kolkata | KKR won by 7 wickets |
| 2010 | Apr 10 | Bengaluru | RCB won by 7 wickets |
| 2011 | Apr 22 | Kolkata | RCB won by 9 wickets |
| 2011 | May 14 | Bengaluru | RCB won by 4 wickets, D/L |
| 2012 | Apr 10 | Bengaluru | KKR won by 42 runs |
| 2012 | Apr 28 | Kolkata | KKR won by 47 runs |
| 2013 | Apr 11 | Bengaluru | RCB won by 8 wickets |
| 2013 | May 12 | Ranchi | KKR won by 5 wickets |
| 2014 | Apr 24 | Sharjah | KKR won by 2 runs |
| 2014 | May 22 | Kolkata | KKR won by 30 runs |
| 2015 | Apr 11 | Kolkata | RCB won by 3 wickets |
| 2015 | May 2 | Bengaluru | RCB won by 7 wickets |
| 2016 | May 2 | Bengaluru | KKR won by 5 wickets |
| 2016 | May 16 | Kolkata | RCB won by 9 wickets |
| 2017 | Apr 23 | Kolkata | KKR won by 82 runs |
| 2017 | May 7 | Bengaluru | KKR won by 6 wickets |
| 2018 | Apr 8 | Kolkata | KKR won by 4 wickets |
| 2018 | Apr 29 | Bengaluru | KKR won by 6 wickets |
| 2019 | Apr 5 | Bengaluru | KKR won by 5 wickets |
| 2019 | Apr 19 | Kolkata | RCB won by 10 runs |
| 2020 | Oct 12 | Sharjah | RCB won by 82 runs |
| 2020 | Oct 21 | Abu Dhabi | RCB won by 8 wickets |
| 2021 | Apr 18 | Chennai | RCB won by 38 runs |
| 2021 | Sep 20 | Abu Dhabi | KKR won by 9 wickets |
| 2021 | Oct 11 | Sharjah | KKR won by 4 wickets |
| 2022 | Mar 30 | Mumbai | RCB won by 3 wickets |
| 2023 | Apr 6 | Kolkata | KKR won by 81 runs |
| 2023 | Apr 26 | Bengaluru | KKR won by 21 runs |
| 2024 | Mar 29 | Bengaluru | KKR won by 7 wickets |
| 2024 | Apr 21 | Kolkata | KKR won by 1 run |
| 2025 | Mar 22 | Kolkata | RCB won by 7 wickets |
| 2025 | May 17 | Bengaluru | No result |
| 2026 | May 13 | Raipur | RCB won by 6 wickets |
The complete match history shows that the teams have played twice in most seasons, although tournament scheduling has occasionally produced only one meeting or, as in 2025, an abandoned second fixture.
Head-to-Head Record
As of the end of IPL 2026, the overall record stands at 37 matches, with KKR ahead 20-16 and one no-result. That gives KKR a narrow historical advantage, although the gap is considerably smaller than some periods of the rivalry might suggest.
| Category | KKR | RCB |
|---|---|---|
| Matches | 37 | 37 |
| Wins | 20 | 16 |
| No result | 1 | 1 |
| Historical win share* | 54.1% | 43.2% |
*Percentages shown by one statistical database are calculated against the total number of meetings and therefore include the no-result match in the denominator.
The balance has changed considerably over time. KKR won both matches in 2008, while RCB took both meetings in 2009. KKR then won both matches in 2012 and again swept the two-game series in several later seasons. The rivalry has therefore never followed a simple home-and-away pattern.
Memorable Encounters
2008: The Match That Started the IPL
The first meeting remains one of the most important matches in IPL history because it was also the league’s inaugural game.
At the M. Chinnaswamy Stadium on April 18, KKR posted 222/3. Brendon McCullum produced an extraordinary unbeaten 158 from 73 balls, setting a record that stood as the highest individual score in T20 cricket for several years. RCB were then dismissed for 82, giving KKR a 140-run victory.
The result established the rivalry with an extraordinary statistical contrast: one side produced one of the tournament’s defining batting performances while the other suffered an early collapse.
KKR also won the return fixture in Kolkata by five runs, making 2008 a clean sweep.
2012: KKR Establish Their Advantage
The 2012 season marked another important stage in the rivalry.
KKR won both matches, first by 42 runs in Bengaluru and then by 47 runs at Eden Gardens. The second victory was particularly convincing, with KKR scoring 190/4 before restricting RCB to 143/6.
That season also carried wider significance for KKR, who went on to win their first IPL championship.
2013: Chris Gayle Dominates, Kohli and Gambhir Clash
On April 11, 2013, RCB chased down KKR’s 154/8 with 158/2 in just 17.3 overs. Chris Gayle made an unbeaten 85 from 50 balls while Virat Kohli added 35.
The match is remembered for another reason as well. After Kohli’s dismissal, he and KKR captain Gautam Gambhir became involved in a heated confrontation. Both players were subsequently officially warned and reprimanded for breaching the IPL Code of Conduct.
KKR won the second meeting that year by five wickets in Ranchi, ensuring the season series was split.
2014: Two Extremely Different Results
The first meeting of 2014 produced one of the closest finishes in the rivalry. KKR scored 150/7 in Sharjah and held RCB to 148/5, winning by just two runs.
The return game was much more comfortable for KKR. They scored 195/4 and defeated RCB by 30 runs.
Winning both matches gave KKR another season sweep and strengthened their position in the overall rivalry.
2015: RCB Turn the Tables
RCB responded in 2015 by winning both matches.
They chased 178 at Eden Gardens to win by three wickets and then chased 112 in Bengaluru to win by seven wickets. The second result was especially emphatic because RCB reached the target with two balls remaining despite KKR making only 111/4.
This was one of the clearest examples of the rivalry swinging from one team to the other.
2016: Another Split
The teams exchanged wins again in 2016.
KKR won in Bengaluru by five wickets after chasing 186, while RCB responded in Kolkata by chasing 184 and winning by nine wickets with eight balls remaining. The official IPL archive records both results as part of the long-running head-to-head sequence.
2017: The 49 All Out
Few results in the rivalry are as memorable as KKR’s 82-run victory at Eden Gardens on April 23, 2017.
KKR made 131 before dismissing RCB for only 49. That remains RCB’s lowest total against KKR and one of the lowest totals recorded in IPL history.
The teams met again in Bengaluru less than two weeks later. KKR won by six wickets after chasing 159, but the match became famous for Sunil Narine’s explosive batting.
Narine smashed 54 from 17 balls, including a 15-ball fifty. At the time, it was the joint-fastest fifty in IPL history. Chris Lynn also scored a rapid half-century, and KKR reached the target with 29 balls remaining.
The two victories gave KKR a memorable 2-0 season sweep.
2018: KKR Continue Their Run
KKR won both matches in 2018, by four wickets at Eden Gardens and six wickets in Bengaluru. The second victory came with five balls remaining.
The results extended a strong period for KKR in the matchup.
2019: Andre Russell’s Explosive Finish
The teams split their 2019 meetings.
KKR won the Bengaluru fixture by five wickets, while RCB took the return match in Kolkata by 10 runs.
The first match remains notable for Andre Russell’s remarkable finishing ability. KKR’s late-order hitting turned a demanding chase into a memorable victory and reinforced Russell’s reputation as one of the most destructive finishers in the competition.
2020: RCB Sweep the Season
The rivalry moved to the United Arab Emirates during the COVID-affected 2020 IPL season.
RCB won both meetings. They defeated KKR by 82 runs in Sharjah and then won by eight wickets in Abu Dhabi.
The two results represented one of RCB’s strongest stretches against KKR in the modern era.
2021: A Regular-Season Win and a Playoff Battle
The teams met three times in 2021.
RCB won the April meeting in Chennai by 38 runs. KKR then responded strongly in the UAE leg, winning the September league encounter by nine wickets.
The most important meeting came in the Eliminator on October 11 at Sharjah.
RCB made 138/7. KKR chased the target with four wickets in hand and two balls remaining. Sunil Narine was the central figure, taking 4/21 and then smashing 26 from 15 balls, including three sixes.
The performance made Narine one of the defining figures of the rivalry. His ability to influence a match with both disciplines has repeatedly appeared in KKR’s important victories over RCB.
2022: RCB Edge a Low-Scoring Contest
The 2022 meeting in Mumbai was much tighter than many of the high-scoring games associated with this rivalry.
KKR were dismissed for 128, while RCB reached 132/7 to win by three wickets. The narrow margin showed how different the matchup can look when the batting conditions do not produce a run-heavy contest.
2023: KKR Complete Another Sweep
KKR won both matches in 2023.
At Eden Gardens, KKR posted 204/7 and bowled RCB out for 123, winning by 81 runs. In Bengaluru, KKR scored 200/5 and defended it against RCB, winning by 21 runs.
The two results were significant because KKR combined very different methods. The first was built around a dominant bowling performance after a 200-plus total, while the second was decided by another strong batting display.
2024: Two Dramatic KKR Wins
The 2024 season produced two particularly memorable matches.
On March 29, KKR won in Bengaluru by seven wickets after chasing 183. The return fixture at Eden Gardens was much closer.
KKR made 222/6, with Phil Salt contributing 48 from just 14 balls, Shreyas Iyer scoring 50 and Andre Russell adding 27. RCB responded with 221 all out. Despite reaching an enormous total, RCB fell one run short. Russell was central to the result, contributing 3/25 with the ball as well as his 27 with the bat.
The game became the highest-scoring one-run finish between the teams and demonstrated how fine the margins can become when both sides pass 220.
2025: RCB End KKR’s Winning Streak
The opening game of IPL 2025 was another important chapter.
KKR scored 174/8 at Eden Gardens. Ajinkya Rahane made 56 from 31 balls and Sunil Narine contributed 44 from 26. RCB’s chase was led by Phil Salt’s 56 and Virat Kohli’s unbeaten 59 from 36 balls. RCB reached 177/3 in only 16.2 overs, winning by seven wickets.
The second scheduled meeting on May 17 was abandoned without a result. There was no winner and no Player of the Match.
The abandoned fixture is important when calculating the overall rivalry because it means the win total does not add up to all 37 meetings.
2026: Virat Kohli’s 105 Decides the Latest Chapter
The latest completed meeting took place on May 13, 2026, at the Shaheed Veer Narayan Singh International Stadium in Raipur.
KKR made 192/4 from 20 overs. Angkrish Raghuvanshi scored 71 from 46 balls, while Rinku Singh finished unbeaten on 49 from 29.
RCB’s response was dominated by Virat Kohli.
Kohli scored an unbeaten 105 from 60 deliveries, including 11 fours and three sixes. Devdutt Padikkal contributed 39, and RCB reached 194/4 in 19.1 overs to win by six wickets.
The century was Kohli’s ninth in the IPL and extended his tournament record for hundreds. It also became one of the most significant individual performances in this rivalry because it came while chasing a total of 193.
Important Milestones
Several milestones stand out across the history of the matchup.
| Milestone | Details |
|---|---|
| First meeting | April 18, 2008 |
| First IPL match | KKR vs RCB was the tournament’s inaugural game |
| Biggest KKR total | 222/3 in 2008 |
| Biggest RCB total | 221 in 2024 |
| Lowest RCB total | 49 in 2017 |
| Lowest KKR total | 84/8 in 2020 |
| Biggest winning margin | KKR by 140 runs in 2008 |
| Closest completed margin | KKR by 1 run in 2024 |
| Most recent meeting | May 13, 2026 |
| Most recent winner | RCB, by 6 wickets |
| Most recent century | Virat Kohli, 105* in 2026 |
These records underline the range of the rivalry. It has included a 140-run blowout, a one-run thriller and multiple matches decided in the final overs.
Record-Breaking Performances
Brendon McCullum’s 158*
McCullum’s 158* in 2008 remains perhaps the defining innings associated with the matchup. It came in the first-ever IPL game and immediately established the tournament as a competition capable of producing extraordinary T20 batting performances.
Sunil Narine’s 15-Ball Fifty
Narine’s 54 from 17 balls in 2017 showed his unusual ability to change a match as a top-order hitter. His 15-ball fifty was the joint-fastest in the IPL at the time.
RCB’s 49 All Out
RCB’s 49 against KKR in 2017 remains their lowest score in this head-to-head. KKR’s bowling attack dismantled the innings after posting only 131, producing an 82-run victory.
The 2024 One-Run Thriller
KKR’s 222/6 against RCB’s 221 all out created one of the rivalry’s most dramatic finishes. Russell’s all-round contribution of 27 runs and 3/25 earned him Player of the Match honors.
Kohli’s 105* in 2026
Kohli’s unbeaten 105 from 60 balls became the latest major individual landmark. His innings allowed RCB to chase 193 with five balls remaining and gave RCB another important victory in the series.
Tournament Meetings
The rivalry has primarily been contested during the IPL league stage, but the teams have also met in the playoffs.
The most notable playoff meeting was the 2021 Eliminator in Sharjah. KKR defeated RCB by four wickets after restricting them to 138/7. Narine’s 4/21 and his late 26 off 15 balls were decisive contributions.
This meeting carried additional importance because an Eliminator defeat immediately ended RCB’s campaign, while KKR advanced to Qualifier 2.
Recent Matches
The most recent five completed or scheduled encounters provide a useful snapshot of the modern rivalry.
| Date | Result |
|---|---|
| May 13, 2026 | RCB won by 6 wickets |
| May 17, 2025 | No result |
| Mar 22, 2025 | RCB won by 7 wickets |
| Apr 21, 2024 | KKR won by 1 run |
| Mar 29, 2024 | KKR won by 7 wickets |
The recent sequence shows a notable shift from KKR’s four-match winning run across the 2023 and 2024 league meetings to consecutive RCB victories in the completed 2025 and 2026 fixtures.
Major Records
The rivalry’s overall statistical picture is particularly interesting because the biggest records come from very different eras.
Highest team total: KKR’s 222/3 in the inaugural match remains the highest score by either side in the matchup until RCB came close with 221 in 2024.
Lowest team total: RCB’s 49 all out in 2017 is the lowest score recorded by either side. KKR’s lowest is 84/8, recorded in Abu Dhabi in 2020.
Biggest victory: KKR’s 140-run win in the first-ever IPL match remains the largest winning margin in the rivalry.
Closest victory: KKR’s one-run win in 2024 is the narrowest completed margin between the teams.
Most recent major batting performance: Kohli’s unbeaten 105 in 2026 currently stands as the latest century in the matchup.
Why This Rivalry Has Produced So Many Memorable Matches
The matchup has repeatedly brought together aggressive batting lineups and high-impact all-rounders. McCullum, Gayle, Narine, Russell and Kohli have all produced defining performances at different stages.
There is also a strong contrast in the way victories have been achieved. Some matches have been decided by explosive powerplay batting, while others have turned on spin in the middle overs, late-order hitting or tight bowling at the death.
The statistical history also shows that venue alone has not determined the outcome. KKR have produced major victories in Bengaluru, while RCB have also won important games at Eden Gardens. Neutral venues during the UAE seasons added another layer to the rivalry.
Frequently Asked Questions
1. When was the first KKR vs RCB match?
The first meeting took place on April 18, 2008, at the M. Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bengaluru. It was also the inaugural match of the IPL. KKR scored 222/3 and defeated RCB by 140 runs.
2. How many times have KKR and RCB played each other?
By the end of IPL 2026, KKR and RCB had played 37 matches. KKR had won 20, RCB had won 16 and one match had ended without a result.
3. What is the biggest win in the rivalry?
KKR’s 140-run victory in the inaugural IPL match in 2008 is the biggest winning margin between the two sides. KKR scored 222/3 before dismissing RCB for 82.
4. What is the lowest score in KKR vs RCB history?
RCB’s 49 all out in the 2017 match at Eden Gardens is the lowest team score in the rivalry. KKR won that contest by 82 runs.
5. Who won the most recent match between KKR and RCB?
RCB won the most recent completed meeting, defeating KKR by six wickets in Raipur on May 13, 2026. KKR scored 192/4, while RCB reached 194/4 in 19.1 overs. Virat Kohli was unbeaten on 105 and was named Player of the Match.
Conclusion
The history of KKR and RCB is defined by extremes. The rivalry began with McCullum’s 158* and a 140-run KKR victory, later produced RCB’s 49 all out, Narine’s 15-ball fifty, a one-run thriller in 2024 and Kohli’s unbeaten 105 in 2026. Across 37 meetings, KKR hold a 20-16 advantage with one no-result, but the results have shifted considerably from one era to another.
What makes the contest especially valuable from a cricket-history perspective is its variety. Some matches have been decided by enormous totals, some by spin, some by finishing specialists and others by individual brilliance. With both franchises continuing to feature among the IPL’s most recognizable teams, their next meeting will add another entry to one of the league’s longest-running head-to-head stories.
