RCB vs KKR Head to Head is one of the oldest and most storied rivalries in IPL history. Kolkata Knight Riders lead Royal Challengers Bengaluru 20–15 across 36 IPL matches, with 1 game ending without a result.
This rivalry began with the very first ball ever bowled in IPL history on April 18, 2008, when Brendon McCullum smashed 158* to announce the tournament’s arrival. Since then, these two teams have produced some of the most extreme results in the league, from RCB’s infamous 49 all out (2017) to the 443-run thriller at Eden Gardens in 2024.
The latest completed meeting ended with RCB winning by 7 wickets in the IPL 2025 opener.
RCB vs KKR Head To Head Record
Overall results and scoring numbers between the two teams.
| Stat | RCB | KKR |
|---|---|---|
| Matches Played | 36 | 36 |
| Won | 15 | 20 |
| Lost | 20 | 15 |
| No Result | 1 | 1 |
| Highest Team Total | 221/10 | 222/6 |
| Lowest Team Total | 49/10 | 84/8 |
KKR’s 20 wins give them a clear advantage, but this rivalry has always moved in phases. KKR dominated the early years and swept both games in 2008, 2012, 2014, 2017, 2018, 2023, and 2024. However, RCB have had their own dominant spells, winning both matches in 2009, 2011, 2013, 2015, and 2020.
RCB vs KKR All Season Results
A season-by-season look at every meeting in this rivalry, from the most recent backwards.
| Year | Winner | Result |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | No Result | Match abandoned (rain), Bengaluru |
| 2025 | Royal Challengers Bengaluru | Won by 7 wickets |
| 2024 | Kolkata Knight Riders | Won by 1 run |
| 2024 | Kolkata Knight Riders | Won by 7 wickets |
| 2023 | Kolkata Knight Riders | Won by 21 runs |
| 2023 | Kolkata Knight Riders | Won by 81 runs |
| 2022 | Royal Challengers Bengaluru | Won by 3 wickets |
| 2021 | Kolkata Knight Riders | Won by 4 wickets (Playoff) |
| 2021 | Kolkata Knight Riders | Won by 7 wickets |
| 2021 | Royal Challengers Bengaluru | Won by 38 runs |
| 2020 | Royal Challengers Bengaluru | Won by 8 wickets |
| 2020 | Royal Challengers Bengaluru | Won by 82 runs |
| 2019 | Royal Challengers Bengaluru | Won by 10 runs |
| 2019 | Kolkata Knight Riders | Won by 5 wickets |
| 2018 | Kolkata Knight Riders | Won by 6 wickets |
| 2018 | Kolkata Knight Riders | Won by 4 wickets |
| 2017 | Kolkata Knight Riders | Won by 6 wickets |
| 2017 | Kolkata Knight Riders | Won by 82 runs |
| 2016 | Kolkata Knight Riders | Won by 5 wickets |
| 2016 | Royal Challengers Bengaluru | Won by 9 wickets |
| 2015 | Royal Challengers Bengaluru | Won by 7 wickets |
| 2015 | Royal Challengers Bengaluru | Won by 6 wickets |
| 2014 | Kolkata Knight Riders | Won by 2 runs |
| 2014 | Kolkata Knight Riders | Won by 30 runs |
| 2013 | Royal Challengers Bengaluru | Won by 8 wickets |
| 2013 | Royal Challengers Bengaluru | Won by 5 wickets |
| 2012 | Kolkata Knight Riders | Won by 47 runs |
| 2012 | Kolkata Knight Riders | Won by 42 runs |
| 2011 | Royal Challengers Bengaluru | Won by 9 wickets |
| 2011 | Royal Challengers Bengaluru | Won by 4 wickets (D/L) |
| 2010 | Kolkata Knight Riders | Won by 7 wickets |
| 2010 | Royal Challengers Bengaluru | Won by 7 wickets |
| 2009 | Royal Challengers Bengaluru | Won by 6 wickets |
| 2009 | Royal Challengers Bengaluru | Won by 5 wickets |
| 2008 | Kolkata Knight Riders | Won by 5 runs |
| 2008 | Kolkata Knight Riders | Won by 140 runs |
KKR won four consecutive completed matches against RCB in 2023 and 2024. However, RCB broke that streak with a convincing 7-wicket win in the IPL 2025 opener. The second meeting in 2025 was washed out in Bengaluru without a result.
One pattern stands out clearly: neither team has managed to stay on top for more than a couple of seasons. Every time one side builds a winning run, the other finds a way to snap it.
Key Players In RCB vs KKR Matches
The biggest performers in this rivalry over the years.
Most Runs
| Player | Team | Runs | Highest Score |
|---|---|---|---|
| Virat Kohli | RCB | 1,021 | 100 |
| Chris Gayle | RCB | 606 | 86 |
| Gautam Gambhir | KKR | 647 | 93 |
| AB de Villiers | RCB | 475 | 73* |
| Brendon McCullum | KKR | 411 | 158* |
| Robin Uthappa | KKR | 358 | 83 |
Virat Kohli sits head and shoulders above everyone else with 1,021 runs from 32 innings against KKR. That includes seven half-centuries and a strike rate of 133.63.
No other active player from either side is close to Kohli’s tally. For KKR, Gautam Gambhir scored 647 runs across 20 innings with six fifties. Among current players, Sunil Narine’s batting contributions have been impactful, especially his opening blitz in the 2024 Chinnaswamy game (47 off 22 balls).
Brendon McCullum’s 158* in the 2008 IPL opener remains the highest individual score in this fixture. That innings literally set the tone for what the IPL would become.
Most Wickets
| Player | Team | Wickets | Best Figures |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sunil Narine | KKR | 27 | 4/20 |
| Yuzvendra Chahal | RCB | 19 | 3/18 |
| Andre Russell | KKR | 17 | 3/22 |
| R. Vinay Kumar | RCB | 17 | 3/29 |
| Harshal Patel | RCB | 12 | 3/28 |
Sunil Narine has been the most dominant bowler in this rivalry, claiming 27 wickets from 19 matches at an average of 20.81. His ability to pick up wickets and control the run rate in the middle overs has been a key factor in KKR’s superior head-to-head record.
Yuzvendra Chahal is the leading RCB bowler in this fixture with 19 wickets, though he no longer plays for the franchise. Among current RCB bowlers, Bhuvneshwar Kumar has been excellent in IPL 2026 with 17 wickets overall this season.
Andre Russell’s 17 wickets also deserve mention, especially since he chips in as a part-time option. His all-round threat has often tilted close games in KKR’s favour.
Major Records in the RCB vs KKR Rivalry
Important batting and bowling milestones in this matchup.
| Record | Details |
|---|---|
| Highest Team Total by RCB | 221/10 (April 21, 2024, Kolkata) |
| Highest Team Total by KKR | 222/6 (April 21, 2024, Kolkata) |
| Lowest Team Total by RCB | 49/10 (April 23, 2017, Kolkata) |
| Lowest Team Total by KKR | 84/8 (October 21, 2020, Abu Dhabi) |
| Highest Match Aggregate | 443 runs (KKR 222/6 vs RCB 221/10, 2024) |
| Biggest Win (by runs) | 140 runs by KKR (April 18, 2008) |
| Most Runs in Rivalry | 1,021 by Virat Kohli (RCB) |
| Highest Individual Score | 158* by Brendon McCullum (KKR, 2008) |
| Most Wickets in Rivalry | 27 by Sunil Narine (KKR) |
| Best Bowling Figures | 4/20 by Wanindu Hasaranga (RCB, 2022) |
| Best Bowling Figures | 4/20 by Sunil Narine (KKR) |
The 2024 Eden Gardens thriller deserves special mention. KKR posted 222/6, with Phil Salt blasting 48 off just 14 balls at the top. RCB came agonizingly close at 221/10, losing by just 1 run. It produced the highest match aggregate (443 runs) in this rivalry’s history.
On the other extreme, RCB’s 49 all out at Eden Gardens in 2017 remains one of the darkest chapters in IPL history. Nathan Coulter-Nile’s pace ripped through the batting order, and no RCB batter reached double figures.
Recent Trend
KKR enjoyed a dominant stretch from 2023 to 2024, winning four consecutive completed matches against RCB. Two of those wins came at the Chinnaswamy, which shows how comfortable they had become playing away in Bengaluru.
RCB broke that streak emphatically in the IPL 2025 opener, restricting KKR to 175 and chasing it down with 7 wickets and 22 balls to spare. Krunal Pandya’s three-wicket haul choked KKR’s middle overs in that game.
Heading into IPL 2026, the two teams are in very different positions. RCB sit at the top of the points table with 14 points from 11 matches (7 wins). As defending champions, they have been the most consistent side this season.
KKR, on the other hand, had a disastrous start to the tournament, losing their first six matches. However, they have staged a remarkable turnaround, winning four games in a row including a destructive win over Delhi Capitals where Finn Allen smashed a century off just 47 balls. They now have 9 points from 11 matches and are pushing for a late playoff charge.
Their next meeting is Match 57 on May 13, 2026, at the Shaheed Veer Narayan Singh International Stadium in Raipur. This is RCB’s second home venue this season, and the black-soil pitch there has shown variable bounce and movement for seamers.
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Conclusion: KKR Lead 20–15 But RCB Are the Defending Champions
Kolkata Knight Riders hold the overall advantage in the RCB vs KKR head to head with 20 wins to RCB’s 15 across 36 IPL matches. Virat Kohli (1,021 runs) and Sunil Narine (27 wickets) remain the standout individual performers in this fixture.
However, RCB enter the IPL 2026 encounter as defending champions sitting top of the table, while KKR are fighting from behind after a slow start. As history has repeatedly shown in this rivalry, the team with the better head-to-head record doesn’t always win when it matters. With Match 57 set for May 13 in Raipur, expect nothing less than another chapter worth remembering.
