The Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) are set to host Punjab Kings (PBKS) in Match 44 of the IPL 2025 at Eden Gardens on Saturday, April 26.
Match Preview:
Just 10 days ago, Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) had a golden opportunity to shift momentum in their IPL 2025 campaign. Chasing a modest target of 112 against Punjab Kings (PBKS), it looked like an easy win—and a chance to boost their net run rate. But instead, they suffered a dramatic collapse, getting bowled out for just 95. That painful loss was followed by another heavy defeat at the hands of Gujarat Titans, underlining KKR’s struggles—especially in the middle and lower-middle order.
If KKR hope to stay in the playoff race, they now face a tough task: winning five of their remaining six matches. The team continues to count on solid starts from Rahmanullah Gurbaz and Sunil Narine, with Ajinkya Rahane already in decent form. But the bigger concern lies in the poor performances of key finishers—Rinku Singh, Venkatesh Iyer, and Andre Russell. Young Angkrish Raghuvanshi has shown flashes of potential but needs to bat earlier and play a longer innings to make a real impact.
On the bowling front, though, there are positives. Varun Chakravarthy, Sunil Narine, and Harshit Rana have all stepped up. However, the overseas combination remains a bit of a puzzle for the team management. Moeen Ali, if backed properly, could play a dual role with bat and ball, even on the Eden surface.
Meanwhile, PBKS find themselves in a similarly precarious position. They need to win at least three of their final six games to stay in the playoff mix. But history isn’t on their side—PBKS haven’t made the playoffs since 2014, and that lingering pressure could weigh them down.
Their top-order, featuring the promising Priyansh Arya and Prabhsimran Singh, has offered solid starts. The real issue lies in their shaky middle order. Inconsistency from experienced players like Glenn Maxwell and Marcus Stoinis continues to hurt their campaign. Shreyas Iyer, returning to a ground he knows well, will be eager to lead from the front, while Nehal Wadhera has quietly put together some handy performances.
The return to form of Yuzvendra Chahal is a major boost for PBKS’ bowling attack, but their pacers must now deliver under pressure if they want to stay alive in the playoff race.
Probable Playing XIIS:
Kolkata Knight Riders 1 Rahmanullah Gurbaz (wk), 2 Sunil Narine, 3 Ajinkya Rahane (capt), 4 Venkatesh Iyer, 5 Angkrish Raghuvanshi, 6 Rinku Singh, 7 Andre Russell, 8 Ramandeep Singh, 9 Harshit Rana, 10 Anrich Nortje/Spencer Johnson, 11 Varun Chakravarthy, 12 Vaibhav Arora.
Punjab Kings 1 Priyansh Arya, 2 Prabhsimran Singh (wk), 3 Shreyas Iyer, 4 Josh Inglis, 5 Nehal Wadhera, 6 Marcus Stoinis/Glenn Maxwell, 7 Shashank Singh, 8 Harpreet Brar, 9 Marco Jansen, 10 Arshdeep Singh, 11 Xavier Bartlett, 12 Yuzvendra Chahal
Pitch and weather report:
Rashid Khan and Sai Kishore produced turns in their game against GT, despite the fact that the conditions in Kolkata favor the chasing team with dew predicted. The team that wins the toss may be tempted to bat first in this match, which will take place on the same field.
Head-to-head record:
The two teams have faced off against one another 34 times in the IPL, with KKR winning 21 of those matches and PBKS winning 13 of them.
Prediction:
PBKS is favourite to win the upcoming game of the season.
Where to Watch:
India: Star Sports Network, JioHotstar
Australia: Kayo TV, FoxTel Go
Bangladesh: T Sports, Toffee app
New Zealand: Sky Sports NZ
South Africa: SuperSport
Sri Lanka: Dialog
UK: Sky Sports, SkyGo
USA: Willow TV
Afghanistan: ATN
MENA: Cricbuzz
