Match Details
- Match: Kolkata Knight Riders vs Punjab Kings – IPL 2025, Match 44
- Date & Time: Saturday, April 26, 2025, 7:30 PM IST
- Venue: Eden Gardens, Kolkata
Match Preview
Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) will face Punjab Kings (PBKS) at Eden Gardens in a crucial match of IPL 2025.
KKR, the defending champions, have had a tough season so far with only three wins from eight matches, placing them in the lower half of the table. Meanwhile, PBKS have performed better with five wins in eight games and sit among the top five teams.
Both teams are coming off mixed results, but PBKS seem slightly stronger based on recent form. When these teams met earlier this season at Mullanpur, PBKS defeated KKR by 16 runs while defending a low total of 111 runs.
KKR vs PBKS Toss Prediction
Analyzing recent toss records and performances, Punjab Kings are likely to win the toss today.
Punjab Kings Won & Chose to Bat
Toss Result History of PBKS vs KKR
| Result | Match | Date | Toss | Time | Venue |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Punjab Kings won by 16 runs | PBKS vs KKR, 31st Match | April 15, 2025 | PBKS won the toss and opted to bat | 7:30 PM | Mullanpur, Chandigarh |
| Punjab Kings won by 8 wickets | PBKS vs KKR, 31st Match | April 15, 2025 | PBKS won the toss and opted to bat | 7:30 PM | Mullanpur, Chandigarh |
| Kolkata Knight Riders won by 5 wickets | KKR vs PBKS, 53rd Match | May 8, 2023 | PBKS won the toss and opted to bat | 7:30 PM | Eden Gardens, Kolkata |
| Punjab Kings won by 7 runs (DLS method) | PBKS vs KKR, 2nd Match | April 1, 2023 | KKR won the toss and opted to bowl | 3:30 PM | Mohali |
| Kolkata Knight Riders won by 6 wickets | KKR vs PBKS, 8th Match | April 1, 2022 | KKR won the toss and opted to bowl | 7:30 PM | Mumbai |
Key Point: PBKS have a better recent toss winning record against KKR and have capitalized well after winning the toss.
Playing XIs (Predicted)
Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR)
- Rahmanullah Gurbaz (wk)
- Sunil Narine
- Ajinkya Rahane (c)
- Venkatesh Iyer
- Rinku Singh
- Moeen Ali
- Andre Russell
- Ramandeep Singh
- Harshit Rana
- Vaibhav Arora
- Varun Chakravarthy
Impact Player: Angkrish Raghuvanshi
Punjab Kings (PBKS)
- Prabhsimran Singh
- Priyansh Arya
- Shreyas Iyer (c)
- Josh Inglis (wk)
- Nehal Wadhera
- Shashank Singh
- Marcus Stoinis
- Marco Jansen
- Xavier Bartlett
- Arshdeep Singh
- Yuzvendra Chahal
Impact Player: Harpreet Brar
Recent Form
| Team | Last 5 Matches | Points Table Position |
|---|---|---|
| KKR | L, L, W, L, W | 7th (6 points) |
| PBKS | L, W, W, L, W | 5th (10 points) |
- KKR have struggled with batting inconsistency.
- PBKS top order, led by Shreyas Iyer and Priyansh Arya, has been more reliable.
Match Prediction
Looking at the latest form, head-to-head record, toss advantage, and Eden Gardens pitch behavior:
- Punjab Kings have won three of the last five matches against KKR.
- KKR’s batting lineup (apart from Ajinkya Rahane and Angkrish Raghuvanshi) has been inconsistent.
- Punjab Kings have better bowling control with Arshdeep Singh and Yuzvendra Chahal finding form.
- Eden’s pitch is slightly favoring teams batting first this season.
Our Match Prediction:
Punjab Kings are likely to win the toss and the match today.
Key Players to Watch
| Team | Key Players |
|---|---|
| KKR | Ajinkya Rahane, Angkrish Raghuvanshi, Varun Chakravarthy |
| PBKS | Shreyas Iyer, Arshdeep Singh, Yuzvendra Chahal |
Final Verdict
- Toss Winner Prediction: Punjab Kings
- Match Winner Prediction: Punjab Kings
