Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) continue their ongoing IPL (Indian Premier League) 2024 campaign by taking on Punjab Kings (PBKS). Both KKR and PBKS sides will lock horns in the 42nd game of the tournament at the Eden Gardens in Kolkata on Friday, April 26.KKR have been one of the form teams this season, while Punjab Kings, down in ninth place, have failed to bat at the speeds other teams have.
KKR have not been an easy side to either score against or bowl to this season. They are favorites here. So PBKS have to score bigger than they have so far and expect the bowlers to do what they have been doing, in KKR’s den. Not to forget, PBKS have only won three of their 12 games – only one in the last eight – at Eden Gardens.
KKR vs PBKS Previous performances
Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) continue their ongoing IPL (Indian Premier League) 2024 campaign by taking on Punjab Kings (PBKS). Both sides will lock horns in the 42nd game of the tournament at the Eden Gardens in Kolkata on Friday, April 26. KKR have enjoyed a successful campaign so far, winning five of the seven matches that they have played in the season. Currently, the side sits in second place in the standings.
On the other hand, Punjab Kings find themselves on the wrong end of the spectrum. Having played eight games in the tournament, Punjab have only registered wins in two matches and lost the remaining six. They find themselves in ninth place in the standings and will hope that the clash against KKR can turn their fortunes around.
KKR vs PBKS Head to Head
| Matches Played | 32 |
| Kolkata Knight Riders won | 21 |
| Punjab Kings Won | 11 |
| No Result | 00 |
KKR vs PBKS Pitch Report
The surface at the Eden Gardens in Kolkata is one that is quite preferable by the batters. With little help from the bowlers, a high scoring encounter could be quite possible on such a surface as well. Opting to bat first and posting a big total on the board could be a wise decision.
The KKR batters, especially the openers, have thrived on the high-scoring pitches in Kolkata. Expect a similar surface on Friday. Fast bowlers have had an economy of 10.74 in Kolkata as opposed to the spinners’ 9.31, and a lot of that has to do with the success of Sunil Narine (16 overs, six wickets, economy 6.25) and Varun Chakravarthy (16 overs, five wickets, economy 9.81).
The average score batting first at the Eden Gardens this season has been a shade under 204. Surfaces have allowed for fluent ball-striking and the short side boundaries have further aided the batters. Expect more of the same although the tracks could start to get drier due to the heat wave that’s prevalent in the city.
KKR vs PBKS Big Picture Best bowling side at batters’ paradise
Punjab Kings (PBKS) have many issues to solve, but despite IPL 2024 being dominated by batters, bowling is not one of them.
PBKS are the only side not to concede 200 or more in an innings yet – 199, twice, is the most scored against them. Their bowling average of 24.94 is the best among all the teams this season, with Kolkata Knight Riders’ (KKR) 25.47 next in line. At the death (overs 17 to 20), PBKS have struck 23 times, the most by a team in IPL 2024, and their average in that phase (15.73) is again the best. They have been the third-most economical bowling team (8.98) this season too.
Now they are at a venue – Eden Gardens – where 200 has been crossed in both innings in three of the four matches so far. It has been the venue with the third-highest scoring rate (10.43) this season, with Hyderabad (10.92) and Delhi (11.48) ahead.
All of which brings the PBKS batters into sharp focus. They are the second-slowest scoring team (with a strike rate of 137.31) and also have the second-lowest batting average (23.84). None of their batters have totaled 200 yet, even though 24 batters have crossed the mark – Shashank Singh with 195 runs is their leading scorer.
KKR have not been an easy side to either score against or bowl to this season. They are favorites here. So PBKS have to score bigger than they have so far and expect the bowlers to do what they have been doing, in KKR’s den. Not to forget, PBKS have only won three of their 12 games – only one in the last eight – at Eden Gardens.
KKR vs PBKS Team news and impact player strategy
Kolkata Knight Riders: KKR have subbed out a batter for a fast bowler or a spinner, depending on the conditions and the situation of the game, in each game. Usually, Rinku Singh has not been used in the fielding innings, with one of Vaibhav Arora, Varun Chakravarthy and Suyash Sharma brought in. Expect them to continue with that.
Punjab Kings: Shikhar Dhawan will only be fit for PBKS’ next game, according to spin-bowling coach Sunil Joshi. Whether that means Sam Curran opens again or one of Rilee Rossouw and Jonny Bairstow partners Prabhsimran Singh is anybody’s guess.
In the spotlight – Mitchell Starc and Harshal Patel
Of all the IPL grounds, the poorest economy rate (13.50) when fast bowlers bowl full under lights is at Eden Gardens. It’s the venue Mitchell Starc, who loves to swing the ball from fuller lengths, has to call home in IPL 2024, and his returns have mirrored those stats. His best performance this season – 3 for 28 against Lucknow Super Giants – came in Kolkata while bowling first in an afternoon game.
Starc’s economy rate this season – 11.48 – is the poorest among bowlers who have bowled at least 25 overs, and is the poorest for any bowler to have bowled at least 20 overs in the first seven games of an IPL season. Most expensive in more ways than one, Starc has to live up to his reputation at some stage.
Harshal Patel had a forgettable start to IPL 2024 – four wickets at an average of over 45 and an economy rate of 11.31 in the first four games. But since then, he has returned nine wickets – seven of those at the death – at an average of a shade under 11 and an economy of 7.46.
He has been effective with his changes of pace as well as angles, and has bowled in each of the three phases in the last four matches. About 80% of his wickets are of right-hand batters, and KKR have plenty of them, including Andre Russell – Harshal has dismissed him twice in 26 balls in all T20s.
Vital Stats that matter
- Narine’s 33 wickets against PBKS are the most for him against a single opponent in the IPL. He averages 19.90 against them and has an economy of 7.06
- In the IPL, Shreyas Iyer has scored 12 off five balls against Kagiso Rabada, but in all T20s, it’s 19 off 21. However, Rabada has never dismissed Iyer
- Russell vs Curran is a proper cat-and-mouse game. Russell strikes at 221.4 against Curran for three dismissals in 28 balls in all T20s. Curran also gives it back: 39 runs in 21 balls for one dismissal against Russell in T20s.
KKR vs PBKS Probable Playing XIs
Kolkata Knight Riders: Sunil Narine, Phil Salt (WK), Angkrish Raghuvanshi, Venkatesh Iyer, Shreyas Iyer (C), Rinku Singh, Ramandeep Singh, Andre Russell, Mitchell Starc, Harshit Rana, Varun Chakravarthy
Impact Substitute : Vaibhav Arora
Punjab Kings: Shikhar Dhawan (c), Prabhsimran Singh, Rilee Rossouw, Sam Curran, Liam Livingstone, Jitesh Sharma (wk.), Shashank Singh, Ashutosh Sharma, Harpreet Brar, Harshal Patel, Kagiso Rabada
Impact Substitute: Arshdeep Singh
PBKS vs KKR Fantasy XI : Sunil Narine, Phil Salt (WK), Angkrish Raghuvanshi, Sam Curran, Liam Livingstone, Shashank Singh, Ashutosh Sharma, Harshal Patel, Kagiso Rabada, Andre Russell, Arshdeep Singh
Probable Best Players of the Match
Probable Best Batter: Sunil Narine
Kolkata Knight Riders’ Sunil Narine could be the best batter in the upcoming clash against Punjab Kings. With 286 runs in seven matches, Narine has been in brilliant form, and having scored a century recently, Narine’s performance as KKR’s opener could be key against PBKS.
Probable Best Bowler: Harshal Patel
Punjab Kings’ Harshal Patel could be the best bowler in the upcoming game against KKR. With 13 wickets in eight games, Harshal Patel is the joint-highest wicket-taker of the tournament, and his spell could be influential against the two-time champions.
KKR vs PBKS Match Prediction.
Scenario 1
Kolkata Knight Riders win the toss and bat
Power Play score – 60-70
First Innings Score – 210-220
Kolkata Knight Riders win the match
Scenario 2
Punjab Kings win the toss and bat
Power Play score – 50-60
First Innings Score – 180-190
Kolkata Knight Riders win the match