Kolkata Knight Riders face Punjab Kings at Eden Gardens in the IPL regular season. KKR have lost both their opening matches of 2026 after finishing eighth last year. PBKS, finalists in 2025, have started this season with two wins and retained most of their previous squad. Shreyas Iyer leads PBKS against his former team, which he captained to the title two seasons ago.
Toss & Conditions
Eden Gardens has been the fastest-scoring IPL venue since 2023, with Sunrisers Hyderabad posting 226 in the only match there this season. The surface favors high scoring, making batting first or chasing with dew both viable strategies.
Head-to-Head
Punjab Kings have won all of the last three matches against Kolkata Knight Riders.
Kolkata Knight Riders
Kolkata Knight Riders are ninth in the IPL regular season table with zero points from two losses and a net run rate of -1.964. They have lost their last three matches, including two this season.
Punjab Kings
Punjab Kings are fourth in the IPL regular season with four points from two wins and a net run rate of +0.637. They have won two of their last three matches and are in playoff position.
Playing XI
News & Facts
- Cameron Green was bought by KKR for INR 25.2 crore, has scored 18 and 2 in his first two innings, and has not bowled yet this season.
- Vijaykumar Vyshak has taken five wickets in two matches for PBKS, including three in the death overs.
- Yuzvendra Chahal has dismissed Ajinkya Rahane four times and Rinku Singh twice in IPL match-ups, conceding 46 off 45 balls to Rahane and 15 off 19 to Rinku.
- Prabhsimran Singh has scored 29 runs off 17 balls against Sunil Narine without being dismissed.
- PBKS have a win ratio of 0.44 at Eden Gardens, with four wins, nine losses, and one washout.
मुख्य आँकड़े
Prediction
Key stats favor Punjab Kings 7-1, with advantages in points, NRR, Elo, recent form, and head-to-head record, while KKR lead only in death-over economy. All four predictive models favor PBKS, averaging 64% win probability. Bookmakers also back PBKS at 58% (odds 1.65) against KKR’s 42% (odds 2.26). PBKS’ stronger batting form and balanced bowling unit contrast with KKR’s early-season struggles and expensive bowling figures.

