Royal Challengers Bengaluru and Kolkata Knight Riders share one of the most explosive rivalries in IPL history, with KKR leading the head-to-head record 20-16 across 36 meetings since the tournament’s inaugural season in 2008.
The very first match of IPL history took place between these two sides at the M. Chinnaswamy Stadium on April 18, 2008, where Brendon McCullum’s legendary 158* off 73 balls announced the IPL to the world. Virat Kohli leads the all-time batting charts in this fixture with 1,021 runs across 36 matches, while Sunil Narine dominates the bowling with 27 wickets for KKR.
The rivalry has produced 2 individual centuries, 3 totals above 220, and several last-over thrillers across 17 seasons.
RCB vs KKR All-Time Head-to-Head Record
KKR lead the overall head-to-head record 20-16 across 36 IPL meetings since 2008. The table below summarizes the complete rivalry record.
| Team | Matches | Won | Lost | Win % |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kolkata Knight Riders | 36 | 20 | 16 | 55.55 |
| Royal Challengers Bengaluru | 36 | 16 | 20 | 44.44 |
RCB vs KKR Highest Team Totals
This rivalry has produced some of the most explosive team totals in IPL history. The table below ranks the top 5 highest team scores across all 36 meetings.
| Team | Score | Overs | Run Rate | Opposition | Venue | Date | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| KKR | 222/3 | 20.0 | 11.10 | RCB | Bengaluru | Apr 18, 2008 | Won by 140 runs |
| KKR | 222/6 | 20.0 | 11.10 | RCB | Eden Gardens | Apr 21, 2024 | Won by 1 run |
| RCB | 221 | 20.0 | 11.05 | KKR | Eden Gardens | Apr 21, 2024 | Lost by 1 run |
| RCB | 213/4 | 20.0 | 10.65 | KKR | Eden Gardens | Apr 19, 2019 | Won by 10 runs |
| KKR | 206/5 | 19.1 | 10.74 | RCB | Bengaluru | Apr 5, 2019 | Won by 5 wkts |
RCB vs KKR Top Individual Scores
The rivalry’s highest individual scores feature some of the most iconic IPL innings ever played. The table below lists the top 5 batting performances.
| Player | Score | Balls | 4s | 6s | Strike Rate | Team | Venue | Date |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Brendon McCullum | 158* | 73 | 10 | 13 | 216.43 | KKR | Bengaluru | Apr 18, 2008 |
| Chris Gayle | 102* | 55 | 10 | 7 | 185.45 | RCB | Eden Gardens | Apr 22, 2011 |
| Virat Kohli | 100 | 58 | 9 | 4 | 172.41 | RCB | Eden Gardens | Apr 19, 2019 |
| Chris Gayle | 96 | 56 | 7 | 7 | 171.42 | RCB | Eden Gardens | Apr 11, 2015 |
| Gautam Gambhir | 93 | 51 | 9 | 5 | 182.35 | KKR | Eden Gardens | Apr 28, 2012 |
RCB vs KKR Top Run Scorers
Virat Kohli leads the all-time run charts in this fixture after playing every season since 2008. The table below ranks the top 5 run scorers across all 36 meetings.
| Player | Team | Span | Innings | Runs | Highest Score |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Virat Kohli | RCB | 2008-2025 | 33 | 1,021 | 100 |
| Chris Gayle | KKR/RCB | 2009-2017 | 16 | 631 | 102* |
| Gautam Gambhir | KKR | 2011-2017 | 15 | 530 | 93 |
| AB de Villiers | RCB | 2011-2021 | 19 | 475 | 76* |
| Jacques Kallis | KKR/RCB | 2008-2014 | 13 | 420 | 65* |
RCB vs KKR Top Wicket Takers
Sunil Narine dominates the bowling charts with 27 wickets across 22 matches. The table below ranks the top 5 wicket takers in this rivalry.
| Player | Team | Span | Matches | Wickets | Best Bowling | Average |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sunil Narine | KKR | 2012-2025 | 22 | 27 | 4/20 | 20.81 |
| Yuzvendra Chahal | RCB | 2014-2021 | 17 | 19 | 3/16 | 24.89 |
| R Vinay Kumar | KKR/RCB | 2008-2018 | 10 | 17 | 3/23 | 16.05 |
| Andre Russell | KKR | 2015-2025 | 17 | 17 | 3/9 | 22.64 |
| Varun Chakravarthy | KKR | 2020-2025 | 11 | 15 | 4/15 | 19.93 |
RCB vs KKR Best Bowling Figures
KKR bowlers dominate the top bowling performances in this rivalry. The table below lists the 5 best individual bowling figures.
| Player | Team | Figures | Economy | Opposition | Venue | Date |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Varun Chakravarthy | KKR | 4/15 | 4.09 | RCB | Eden Gardens | Apr 6, 2023 |
| Lakshmipathy Balaji | KKR | 4/18 | 4.50 | RCB | Bengaluru | Apr 10, 2012 |
| Angelo Mathews | KKR | 4/19 | 4.75 | RCB | Eden Gardens | Mar 14, 2010 |
| Sunil Narine | KKR | 4/20 | 5.00 | RCB | Eden Gardens | May 22, 2014 |
| Wanindu Hasaranga | RCB | 4/20 | 5.00 | KKR | DY Patil | Mar 30, 2022 |
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RCB vs KKR Last 5 Meetings
RCB have struggled in recent encounters, winning just 1 of the last 5 meetings against KKR. The table below summarizes the last 5 results.
| Season | Date | Winner | Margin | Venue |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| IPL 2025 | Mar 22 | RCB | 7 wkts | Eden Gardens |
| IPL 2024 | Apr 21 | KKR | 1 run | Eden Gardens |
| IPL 2024 | Mar 29 | KKR | 7 wkts | Bengaluru |
| IPL 2023 | Apr 26 | KKR | 21 runs | Bengaluru |
| IPL 2023 | Apr 6 | KKR | 81 runs | Eden Gardens |
