Defending champions Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) will be in action against Punjab Kings (PBKS) on Saturday evening. This is match no. 44 of the ongoing Indian Premier League (IPL) and will be played at the iconic Eden Gardens stadium. Both teams are coming into this game on the back of defeats in their respective previous matches.
KKR have shown no signs of being capable of defending their crown. So far, the reigning champions have lost five of their first eight matches. To put that into perspective, KKR lost only three matches last season when they lifted the title. This clearly shows that the team is nowhere near the level they performed at last season. That said, KKR are still in the fight for a top-four finish. But they need to win at least five of their remaining six games. On current form, that looks like a far-fetched idea—but this is cricket, and you never know.
For Punjab Kings, the road to the top four remains very much in sight. With five wins in their first eight matches, the Punjab outfit is sitting at fifth heading into this game. But there isn’t much separating the top six sides, with the current table-toppers, Gujarat Titans, only two points ahead of sixth-placed Lucknow Super Giants. In fact, Punjab can go top of the table if they win this game by a certain margin.
KKR vs PBKS: Match Details
Date: Saturday, April 26, 2025
Time: 07:30 PM IST
Venue: Eden Gardens
KKR vs PBKS Dream11 Prediction: Pitch Report
Pitch Report: Eden Gardens has evolved into a batter-friendly venue in recent IPL seasons. The pitch offers good bounce and pace, especially early on, benefiting fast bowlers. However, as the game progresses, it becomes a paradise for batters, with high scores being common. Spinners receive minimal assistance, making it challenging for them to impact the game significantly.
KKR vs PBKS Dream11: Team News
Kolkata Knight Riders Team News-
- Kolkata Knight Riders have no injury issues ahead of this game. All the players are available for selection.
- Expect Rahmanullah Gurbaz to hold onto his place in KKR’s Playing XI despite not clicking as a batter in the last match.
- Kolkata Knight Riders Full Squads: Rinku Singh, Varun Chakaravarthy, Sunil Narine, Andre Russell, Harshit Rana, Ramandeep Singh, Venkatesh Iyer, Quinton de Kock, Rahmanullah Gurbaz, Anrich Nortje, Angkrish Raghuvanshi, Vaibhav Arora, Mayank Markande, Rovman Powell, Manish Pandey, Spencer Johnson, Luvnith Sisodia, Ajinkya Rahane, Anukul Roy, Moeen Ali, Umran Malik
Punjab Kings Team News-
- Punjab Kings will be going into this game with a fully-fit squad. But changes can still happen in the team.
- One player who could be benched is Marcus Stoinis. Glenn Maxwell is the player replacing him in PBKS’ Playing XI.
- Punjab Kings Full Squad: Shashank Singh, Prabhsimran Singh, Arshdeep Singh, Shreyas Iyer, Yuzvendra Chahal, Marcus Stoinis, Glenn Maxwell, Nehal Wadera, Harpreet Brar, Vishnu Vinod, Vijaykumar Vyshak, Yash Thakur, Josh Inglis, Lockie Ferguson, Azmatullah Omarzai, Harnoor Pannu, Kuldeep Sen, Priyash Arya, Aaron Hardie, Musheer Khan, Suryash Shedge, Pyla Avinash, Xavier Bartlett, Pravin Dubey
KKR vs PBKS Dream11 Top Fantasy Picks
- Shreyas Iyer: Following some quick dismissals, Punjab Kings captain is certainly not in good batting form at the moment. But we know that Iyer is a high-profile player who can single-handedly win any match with his batting alone.
- Sunil Narine: During KKR’s title-winning campaign last year, Sunil Narine was the most dominating player who made impact with both bat and ball. But this season, he has failed to perform with consistency. That said, the West Indian remains a player who can win any game on his own.
- Priyansh Arya: The 24-year-old has made a name for himself after some thrilling batting performance. His electrifying 39-ball hundred was a sign of the immense potential he possesses. The young batter can change the game with his batting.
- Ajinkya Rahane: The veteran Indian batter is also in terrific form and should be considered in your Dream11 fantasy cricket teams. He is the leading scorer for KKR this season.
- Marco Jansen: The lanky South African all-rounder is also someone who guarantees points due to his two-way skills. He can score runs at a quick rate, while his bowling is good enough to make a positive impact.
KR vs PBKS Dream11 Prediction: Expected Playing 11
Kolkata Knight Riders Expected Playing 11
- Rahmanullah Gurbaz (WK)
- Sunil Narine
- Ajinkya Rahane (C)
- Angkrish Raghuvanshi
- Moeen Ali
- Venkatesh Iyer
- Rinku Singh
- Andre Russell
- Ramandeep Singh
- Harshit Rana
- Vaibhav Arora
Impact Player: Varun Chakaravarthy
Punjab Kings Expected Playing 11
- Priyansh Arya
- Prabhsimran Singh
- Shreyas Iyer (C)
- Josh Inglis (WK)
- Nehal Wadhera
- Shashank Singh
- Marcus Stoinis / Glenn Maxwell
- Marcus Stoinis
- Xavier Bartlett
- Arshdeep Singh
- Yuzvendra Chahal
Impact Player: Harpreet Brar
KKR vs PBKS Dream11 Fantasy Team
- WICKET-KEEPER: R Gurbaz, P Singh
- BATSMEN: A Rahane, S Iyer, V Iyer, P Arya
- ALL–ROUNDERS: S Narine, A Russel, M Jansen
- BOWLERS: V Chakaravarthy, H Rana
