“A New Left-Arm Weapon for KKR as Sakariya Steps In”
📍 New Delhi, March 17 – Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) have signed left-arm pacer Chetan Sakariya as a replacement for Umran Malik, who has been ruled out of IPL 2025 due to injury.
The Indian Premier League (IPL) governing body confirmed the change in an official release, with Sakariya joining the KKR squad for ₹75 lakh.
Sakariya, who has represented India in one ODI and two T20Is, brings valuable IPL experience, having played 19 matches and taken 20 wickets in the tournament so far.
With KKR set to begin their title defense against Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) on March 22 at Eden Gardens, the addition of Sakariya strengthens their fast-bowling attack ahead of the season.
🔹 Chetan Sakariya: A Promising Addition
✔️ Bowling Style: Left-arm fast-medium
✔️ IPL Experience: 19 matches, 20 wickets
✔️ Previous Franchises: Rajasthan Royals (RR), Delhi Capitals (DC)
Sakariya, known for his swing bowling and death-over skills, will add depth to KKR’s pace attack, which already features Anrich Nortje, Harshit Rana, and Spencer Johnson.
🔹 KKR’s IPL 2025 Squad
🔹 Batters:
Rinku Singh (retained), Rovman Powell, Angkrish Raghuvanshi, Manish Pandey, Luvnith Sisodia, Ajinkya Rahane
🔹 Wicketkeepers:
Quinton de Kock, Rahmanullah Gurbaz
🔹 All-rounders:
Venkatesh Iyer (pace), Andre Russell (pace; retained), Sunil Narine (spin; retained), Ramandeep Singh (pace; retained), Anukul Roy (spin), Moeen Ali (spin)
🔹 Spinners:
Varun Chakravarthy (retained), Mayank Markande
🔹 Fast Bowlers:
Harshit Rana (retained), Vaibhav Arora, Anrich Nortje, Spencer Johnson, Chetan Sakariya
🔹 KKR’s IPL 2025 Campaign Begins
🏟️ First Match: March 22, 2025
⚔️ Opponent: Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB)
📍 Venue: Eden Gardens, Kolkata
🗣️ KKR’s mission is clear – defend the title and build on last season’s success. With a strong mix of experienced players and fresh talent, the Knight Riders will aim to start their campaign with a dominant performance at their home ground.