Kolkata Knight Riders face Rajasthan Royals in IPL 2026 Match 22 at Eden Gardens (68,000 capacity) in Kolkata, on Sunday 12 April 2026, starting at 19:30 IST (UTC+5:30). KKR are three-time champions (2012, 2014, 2024). Rajasthan Royals are one-time champions, having won the inaugural 2008 edition. Shreyas Iyer captains Kolkata; Sanju Samson leads Rajasthan.

Eden Gardens in Kolkata holds 68,000 and is one of the most celebrated cricket grounds in India, having staged Test matches since 1934. KKR’s home atmosphere at Eden Gardens is among the IPL’s most intense: the Kolkata crowd treats their team’s matches as city events, and the volume levels under floodlights have been identified by visiting captains as a genuine performance variable.

Rajasthan Royals won the first-ever IPL title in 2008 under Shane Warne’s captaincy, a result that helped establish the franchise’s reputation for spotting value and building competitive squads. Sanju Samson’s captaincy continues that tradition of creative squad management. Against KKR’s 2024 champions at their Eden Gardens home, Rajasthan must perform with the discipline that tight Kolkata pitches demand.

When is KKR vs Rajasthan Royals? The match starts at 19:30 IST (UTC+5:30) on 12 April 2026. UK fans in London watch at 15:00 BST (UTC+1). Australian fans in Sydney tune in at 00:00 AEST (UTC+10) on 13 April. Viewers on the US East Coast catch it at 10:00 EDT (UTC-4). For real-time conversions, check India time and Kolkata time.

With ten teams and four playoff spots, net run rate has decided qualification at the cutoff in multiple recent IPL seasons. Both sides approach this fixture knowing winning margins compound across the schedule.