KKR will look to reverse their loss from last time out and stop their recent slump on Sunday against Rajasthan Royals. Led by Ajinkya Rahane, they have had difficulty maintaining consistency this season and will hope that tonight they can break that pattern.
PBKS made history during their previous encounter at New Chandigarh when they successfully defended the lowest total in IPL history with just 95 runs scored against them by KKR.
Fans will also be keeping a close eye on the kolkata knight riders vs punjab kings stats for insights ahead of this matchup at Eden Gardens, where KKR have an outstanding head-to-head record.
| Date | Venue | Result | Match Summary |
|---|---|---|---|
| 26-Apr-2025 | Eden Gardens, Kolkata | No Result (Rain-affected) | Match abandoned due to rain after 1 over; KKR were 7/0 chasing PBKS’s 201/4 in 20 overs. |
| 15-Apr-2025 | Mullanpur | PBKS won by 16 runs | PBKS posted 111 in 15.3 overs; KKR were bowled out for 95 in 15.1 overs. Yuzvendra Chahal took 4 wickets for PBKS. |
| 26-Apr-2024 | Eden Gardens, Kolkata | PBKS won by 8 wickets | PBKS chased down 261/6 in 18.4 overs, led by a dominant partnership. |
| 8-May-2023 | Eden Gardens, Kolkata | KKR won by 5 wickets | KKR successfully chased PBKS’s 179/7, with Andre Russell being named Player of the Match. |
| 1-Apr-2023 | Mohali | PBKS won by 7 runs (DLS Method) | PBKS set a target of 191/5; KKR were 146/7 in 16 overs when rain interrupted, resulting in a DLS-adjusted loss for KKR. |
KKR Record
Kolkata Knight Riders have long been one of the most successful Indian Premier League (IPL) franchises ever. Owned by actor/entrepreneur Shah Rukh Khan, they have won three tournament titles and reached eight finals since 2010.
When pitted against Punjab Kings they boast a 21 out of 32 victory record against them with victory coming at Eden Gardens this Saturday when both teams meet. KKR will look for revenge after suffering an embarrassing loss against Rajasthan Royals last time out.
Last time these two sides met at Eden Gardens, Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) were bowled out for 95, the lowest total ever recorded by any IPL team in a full match since 2009.
Ajinkya Rahane and Angkrish Raghuvanshi put on 55 between them to help KKR recover from an early collapse before eventually all out with 13 balls remaining – this set an IPL record successful chase record beating CSK’s previous attempt of 116-9 against Mumbai Indians from 2009.
KKR have enjoyed great success at Eden Gardens over the years, winning eight out of 13 matches there. This will give them a significant advantage against Punjab Kings who have struggled on the road this season; of their 12 meetings at neutral venues where neutral venues were used, KKR have taken nine victories to four for PBKS.
On Tuesday in Mullanpur, KKR were stunned by a humiliating loss against Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB). Harshit Rana sent shockwaves through their top order while Yuzvendra Chahal struck to trigger a collapse that saw six wickets fall for 17 runs; Andre Russell became their final victim by being bowled by Chahal for 17 – this marked their biggest defeat ever since 2024 and third consecutive home loss since 2025!
PBKS Record
These teams have faced off 34 times during the Indian Premier League (IPL) with Kolkata Knight Riders emerging victorious on 21 occasions. Eden Gardens in particular has proven fruitful for them over recent meetings as an arena where they excel.
PBKS will look to rebound after their heartbreaking defeat against Sunrisers Hyderabad last time out and make amends with this victory over SRH.
Their innings was taken away by Abhishek Sharma’s scorching 141 as they fell short of reaching 245, shattering Shreyas Iyer’s lead team and leaving them reeling from this loss. As such, this battle could provide them with the perfect opportunity for them to build upon previous triumphs in this campaign.
Ajinkya Rahane has assembled an excellent side for his captaincy under Ajinkya Rahane with some potent batsmen and formidable bowlers – including Moeen Ali, Sunil Narine and Rovman Powell providing plenty of depth in batting while Lockie Ferguson, Marco Jansen, Arshdeep Singh will provide pace while Yuzvendra Chahal leads their spin department.
Though PBKS has struggled to find their footing in this tournament so far, they will be hopeful that their new captain Shreyas Iyer can guide them into victory against their former side KKR in their first matchup of 2025.
PBKS will look to score early runs and establish an impressive total. Their bowlers must remain effective if they hope to contain KKR in this crucial match, both seeking to qualify for play-offs by staying within the top four. With its soft surface at Maharaja Yadavindra Singh International Cricket Stadium Mullanpur offering an advantage to batters, it may give an advantage to team batting second as this encounter plays out.
Pitch Conditions
Eden Gardens pitch provides a balanced contest between bat and ball. Batsmen benefit from real pace and bounce to help score quickly; spinners also take advantage of this pitch to pick up wickets at an economical rate at the back end. Eden Gardens pitches have previously favored bat first strategies; however this one may provide more balance.
KKR will look to avenge their recent loss to Gujarat Titans and stem their slide in this tournament. Ajinkya Rahane’s side needs to improve on their batting, which has been poor this season and represents one of their main weaknesses; they must score more runs if they wish to make the playoffs.
Glenn Maxwell will give Ajinkya Rahane’s men an extra boost with his return from injury, hoping to reverse their downward spiral and put an end to their poor form. The batsman should aim to put in some hard work in an attempt to change things around.
Punjab Kings currently rank sixth on the points table with three wins and two losses from five matches played, which places them close to being eliminated from playoff contention and necessitate a victory against Kolkata Knight Riders to keep alive any hopes for playoff contention.
As the surface contains some moisture, both sides will benefit from ample spin. But bowlers must be wary to prevent easy scoring – bowling disciplined lengths is recommended to prevent batters going for big hits.
The pitch initially had more pace and bounce in its initial innings but gradually dried out as more runs were played on it. There is the possibility of rain arriving in Kolkata on Saturday evening that could alter conditions slightly, potentially altering pitch conditions even further.
Prediction
KKR will look to rebound from their defeat against Gujarat Titans by making use of their home ground and an impressive batting lineup, led by Ajinkya Rahane who will seek to make an impression during this match up against Gujarat. Rinku Singh and Quinton de Kock will also play vital roles.
Eden Gardens has proven itself as an excellent batting wicket this season and should continue in this vein. It will suit batters who prefer an offensive approach while remaining difficult for bowlers to target. With average first innings scores at around 167-170 and shorter straight boundaries than square ones at the ground, batsmen could opt to play more expansive shots during their opening innings at Eden Gardens.
Punjab Kings will look to rebound after their defeat against RCB in their previous match. Their home ground can help them take full advantage of, with them currently fifth on the points table and hoping to cement a playoff berth.
Punjab boasts an exceptionally balanced team with tremendous depth. Openers Priyansh Arya and Prabhsimran Singh have provided solid starts, while captain Shreyas Iyer has been their primary run scorer. Marcus Stoinis and Glenn Maxwell provide stability in the middle order while Yuzvendra Chahal and Arshdeep Singh round off this powerful roster.
Both teams have met 34 times in IPL matches and KKR holds a slight edge against Punjab with 21 wins to 13. Both will aim to claim victory in what could be an exciting encounter, which should end when one team scores more runs than their opponent.
