IPL 2025: Kolkata Knight Riders announce replacement for Rovman Powell
Defending champions KKR knocked out after must-win clash vs RCB washed out in Bengaluru
The Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) have signed Madhya Pradesh mystery spinner Shivam Shukla as a replacement for West Indies all-rounder Rovman Powell for the remainder of the IPL 2025 season.
The franchise confirmed the development on Sunday, May 18.
Powell, along with England’s Moeen Ali, will not return for the rest of the tournament due to medical reasons. "Rovman is undergoing a procedure," the franchise stated, as IPL 2025 resumed following a temporary suspension.
Shukla, 29, featured in just one season of the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy, where he claimed eight wickets in eight matches, including a standout performance of 4/29 against Bengal.
More recently, he emerged as the leading wicket-taker in the Madhya Pradesh Premier League, picking up 10 wickets, including a five-wicket haul.
Meanwhile, defending champions KKR have been eliminated from playoff contention after their must-win clash against Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) was washed out in Bengaluru.
The rain began more than an hour before the toss and persisted throughout the evening, as forecasted.
The match was highly anticipated for several reasons—it marked the league’s resumption after an abrupt suspension on May 8 and was RCB’s first game since Virat Kohli’s retirement from Test cricket, drawing fans eager to pay tribute to the Indian icon.
With only two league games remaining before the washout, KKR sat sixth on the table. The no-result leaves them with 12 points from 13 matches, effectively ending their playoff hopes. RCB, on the other hand, climbed to the top of the table with 17 points from 12 games.
RCB will next host Sunrisers Hyderabad on May 23 before travelling to Lucknow for their final league game.
Their playoff qualification could be confirmed even before their next match, depending on the outcome of upcoming fixtures featuring Punjab Kings and Delhi Capitals.
PBKS face Rajasthan Royals in Jaipur, while DC take on Gujarat Titans at the Arun Jaitley Stadium.
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