Kolkata Knight Riders will look to go to the top of the table when they take on Punjab Kings in the 42nd game of the 2024 Indian Premier League. Get our latest expert KKR vs PBKS match betting tips, predictions and picks below. You can start betting on the IPL 2024 by opening your account with 1xbet here.
Kolkata vs Punjab Match Information
- Venue: Eden Gardens, Kolkata
- Date: Friday, April 26
- Time: 7.30 pm local (2 pm GMT, 10 am EDT)
- How to Buy KKR vs PBKS Tickets? Get all the information here.
What Have The Two Teams Done So Far?
These two teams are on the opposite ends of the spectrum on the IPL 2024 points table. Kolkata have won five of their seven matches and are on 10 points which places them second behind Rajasthan Royals.
On the other hand, Punjab is on a four-match losing streak and have grabbed just two victories from eight matches. That puts them just ahead of the 10th-placed Royal Challengers Bangalore on the table.
Quick KKR vs PBKS Preview
Kolkata Knight Riders have managed to tick a lot of their boxes but it must be quickly added that while they have won five of the seven matches they have played, they have had a scare or two.
In their very first match against Sunrisers Hyderabad, they all but ended up losing despite scoring 208 batting first.
And more recently in their game against the hapless Royal Challengers Bangalore, even a score of 222 looked to have fallen short. It was just Bangalore’s lack of confidence stalled their efforts as they fell one run short of the win in the end.
These two results, combined with their two defeats, point to KKR having a few bowling issues they need to sort out. Because while Punjab might not have the arsenal to test Kolkata, other teams would be watching this.
Speaking of Punjab, they have lost four in a row and a lot of that has to do with their top-order batting.
They can ill-afford to rely consistently on the duo of Shashank Singh and Ashutosh Sharma and the absence of Shikhar Dhawan at the top due to injury and Jonny Bairstow because of form confirms have really rattled the Punjab batting.
They will hope to find their mojo on a flat Eden Gardens surface but at the same time they need their bowling to get going as well.
KKR vs PBKS Head to Head Stats
- Overall KKR vs PBKS Head-to-head: This is a rather one-sided rivalry with Kolkata leading Punjab 21-11 overall.
- At the Eden Gardens, Kolkata are 9-3 ahead.
- What’s interesting to see is that over the last seven games, Kolkata are only 4-3 ahead, leaving them quite closely matched despite their overall head to head record.
Possible Playing XIs/XIIs
Kolkata Knight Riders
Salt, Narine, Angkrish, Venkatesh, Shreyas, Rinku, Russell, Ramandeep, Starc, Varun, Harshit.
Punjab Kings
Curran, Prabhsimran, Rossouw, Jitesh, Livingstone, Shashank, Ashutosh, Harpreet Singh, Harpreet Brar, Harshal, Kagiso, Arshdeep.
KKR vs PBKS Predictions with Latest Odds*
- Prediction 1: Kolkata to win: 8/13 (sign up with 1xbet)
- Prediction 2: Highest Opening Partnership – KKR: 5/6
KKR vs PBKS Toss Prediction
KKR to win the toss: 10/11
KKR vs PBKS Score Prediction
Kolkata Knight Riders to win and Both Teams To Score 180+ Runs Each: 11/8
*odds correct at the time of writing.
Photo Credit: John Oswald