Punjab Kings are set to face Kolkata Knight Riders in the 31st match of IPL 2025 on April 15 in New Chandigarh.
Punjab Kings vs Kolkata Knight Riders: Preview
Less than a year ago, Shreyas Iyer captained Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) to an IPL title triumph. Now, in IPL 2025, he finds himself leading Punjab Kings (PBKS) against his former side in Mullanpur on Tuesday.
Despite their current mid-table standings, both Kolkata Knight Riders and Punjab Kings appear more formidable than the points table suggests in IPL 2025. As the league stage nears its halfway mark, a win on Tuesday could propel either side into the mix at the top of the table.
The win-loss records reflect a stuttering start for both franchises. However, there are encouraging signs—most of the key players in both camps have begun to hit their stride. While consistency has eluded them, glimpses of collective brilliance hint at stronger performances in the latter half of the season.
The top tier of the standings is currently packed with teams finding form at the right time. For KKR and PBKS, staying in that race will require not just winning key matchups like this one, but also paying attention to Net Run Rate. In such a tight season, even the smallest margins could prove decisive.
Punjab Kings are still reeling from the hammering they took in Hyderabad, where they failed to defend a mammoth 245-run total. Unfortunately for their bowlers, conditions at their new home ground in Mullanpur aren’t expected to offer much respite either.
PBKS’ pace attack will face a tough challenge in the absence of Lockie Ferguson, who is likely ruled out for the remainder of the tournament due to injury.
Punjab Kings made significant investments ahead of IPL 2025, spending INR 18 crore on Yuzvendra Chahal and another INR 4.2 crore on Glenn Maxwell. But so far, the returns haven’t matched the price tags. Chahal has struggled to make an impact with the ball, while Maxwell has managed just 34 runs from four innings. If PBKS are to make a serious push towards the playoffs, both marquee players will need to step up soon.
Their underwhelming spin department has compounded issues—PBKS’ spinners currently have the worst numbers across the league, with a collective average of 54.4, an economy of 10.46, and a strike rate of 31.2.
Maxwell’s form is particularly alarming. Since 2024, he has scored just 86 runs in 13 IPL innings, averaging a mere 6.61, with five ducks and a highest score of 30—hardly the kind of returns expected from a seasoned T20 campaigner.
However, PBKS skipper Shreyas Iyer may have a hidden edge. With intimate knowledge of KKR’s setup, having recently captained them to an IPL title, he could look to exploit that familiarity against his former coach and teammates. Whether he can turn that insight into a tactical advantage remains to be seen.
Shreyas Iyer, who had a strike rate of 146.86 in IPL 2024, has taken it up a notch this season, elevating it to 208.33—the highest among Indian batters who’ve faced at least 100 deliveries. Only Nicholas Pooran has a better strike rate under the same criteria. Moreover, Iyer seems to have conquered his struggle against short-pitched bowling, confidently dispatching pace attacks.
The last time Punjab Kings and Kolkata Knight Riders faced off, PBKS pulled off a record-breaking chase of 262 at Eden Gardens—setting a new T20 benchmark. However, historically, KKR hold the upper hand in this rivalry with a 21-12 head-to-head advantage.
Shreyas Iyer, now leading PBKS, has had the better of his former KKR teammates in T20s. Against Sunil Narine, he has scored 42 runs off 35 balls, and against Varun Chakravarthy, 38 off just 22. Both bowlers have managed to dismiss him once, but Iyer’s numbers suggest he’s been largely comfortable against the KKR spin duo.
While Kolkata Knight Riders have their own issues to address—particularly in the batting department—Mullanpur might not be the ideal venue to contain a potentially explosive Andre Russell, even in his current patchy form.
KKR, meanwhile, continue to struggle at the top of the order. They are yet to register a fifty-run opening stand in IPL 2025. Their best so far is a modest 46-run partnership between Quinton de Kock and Sunil Narine in a low chase against CSK. That lack of solidity up front remains a pressing concern as they prepare to face a Punjab side looking for redemption at home.
Narine and Chakravarthy have delivered 41 of KKR’s 49 overs of spin, anchoring a department where the team boasts the best average (20.62) and economy rate (6.73) in the league.
To make matters worse for PBKS, they’ll also have to contend with Sunil Narine’s dominance. The KKR all-rounder has a stellar record against them, with 34 wickets in 25 matches at an average of 20.02 and an economy of just 7.02. He’s also chipped in with 251 runs, including two fifties, making him a perennial thorn in Punjab’s side.
Punjab Kings vs Kolkata Knight Riders: Recent Form
Punjab Kings: LWLWW (last five matches, most recent first)
Kolkata Knight Riders: WLWLW
Punjab Kings vs Kolkata Knight Riders: Head-to-Head
Although KKR hold a 21-12 advantage over Punjab Kings in their overall IPL head-to-head, the rivalry has been evenly poised in recent seasons, with both sides winning four games apiece since 2020.
- Matches Played: 33
- Won by Punjab Kings: 12
- Won by Kolkata Knight Riders: 21
- Tied: 0
- No Result: 0
- First-ever Fixture: May 3, 2008
- Most-recent Fixture: April 26, 2024
Punjab Kings vs Kolkata Knight Riders: Pitch Report and Weather Conditions
This season, both matches in Mullanpur have seen teams post scores of over 200 while batting first, with the totals being successfully defended each time. With evening temperatures expected to drop to 27°C after reaching 38°C in the morning, a high total on Tuesday is still possible. In three out of four innings at the venue, teams have managed to score 200-plus. While it’s unclear whether dew will come into play, the conditions should generally be favorable for the batsmen.
Punjab Kings vs Kolkata Knight Riders: Team News and Predicted XI
Punjab Kings – Team News
Ferguson injured his hamstring in the first over of his spell against SRH and had to leave the field. According to fast bowling coach James Hopes, he is unlikely to return to the PBKS squad this season. “We’re obviously going to have to make changes with Ferguson out. His return before the end of the tournament seems highly unlikely. He’s suffered a significant injury,” Hopes stated. Ferguson’s absence will impact PBKS’ overseas combination, and they may opt for Xavier Bartlett, a frontline fast bowler, or pace-bowling allrounders Azmatullah Omarzai or Aaron Hardie as replacements.
Shreyas Iyer has scored 456 runs in 14 innings against KKR, averaging 41.45 with a strike rate above 150. He will be crucial for PBKS as they face Sunil Narine and Varun CV. While Yuzvendra Chahal has struggled for consistency this season, he has a strong record against KKR, taking 29 wickets in 22 matches at an average of 22.65, and PBKS will be hoping for a standout performance from him.
Punjab Kings – Predicted XI
- Prabhsimran Singh (wk)
- Priyansh Arya
- Shreyas Iyer (capt)
- Nehal Wadhera
- Shashank Singh
- Glenn Maxwell
- Marcus Stoinis
- Azmatullah Omarzai/Aaron Hardie
- Marco Jansen
- Yuzvendra Chahal
- Arshdeep Singh
- Yash Thakur
Kolkata Knight Riders – Team News
KKR head into their match against PBKS on the back of a dominant performance, where they handed Chennai Super Kings a record fifth consecutive defeat. On a spin-friendly surface in Chepauk, Sunil Narine, Varun Chakravarthy, and Moeen Ali thrived, and with spinners averaging 30.12 in Mullanpur this season, PBKS could face a similar challenge from the trio. The availability of Anrich Nortje, who is yet to feature this season, remains uncertain. Meanwhile, Moeen Ali, who played in the Chennai game, might make way for Spencer Johnson if KKR decide to include an extra pace option.
Although KKR have used Andre Russell sparingly with the ball this season, they may unleash him against PBKS, given his strong record against Shreyas Iyer and Marcus Stoinis. Iyer has been dismissed by Russell five times in nine innings, while Stoinis has fallen to him three times in five innings.
Kolkata Knight Riders – Predicted XI
- Quinton de Kock (wk)
- Sunil Narine
- Ajinkya Rahane (capt)
- Angkrish Raghuvanshi
- Venkatesh Iyer
- Rinku Singh
- Andre Russell
- Ramandeep Singh
- Moeen Ali
- Harshit Rana
- Vaibhav Arora
- Varun Chakravarthy
Punjab Kings vs Kolkata Knight Riders: Players To Watch Out For
Yuzvendra Chahal (Punjab Kings)
While KKR’s spinners have been exceptional, PBKS’ Yuzvendra Chahal is still searching for his form. In five games, he has bowled 15 overs, with an average of 83.50 and an economy rate of 11.13.
Chahal has taken at least 18 wickets every season from 2019 to 2024 and remains the highest wicket-taker in IPL history. PBKS will be hoping his experience helps him turn things around soon.
Ajinkya Rahane (Kolkata Knight Riders)
Ajinkya Rahane is the only KKR batter to score 200 runs this season. After being released by CSK in 2023 and 2024, Rahane went on to become the highest run-scorer in the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy 2024-25.
However, his dismissal for 61 during KKR’s chase of 239 against Lucknow Super Giants shifted the momentum and ultimately contributed to their narrow defeat at Eden Gardens.
Punjab Kings vs Kolkata Knight Riders: Prediction
Scenario 1
- Toss: Punjab Kings win the toss and bowl
- Powerplay Score: 70-80
- Kolkata Knight Riders: 200-220
- Match Result: Punjab Kings win the match
Scenario 2
- Toss: Kolkata Knight Riders win the toss and bowl
- Powerplay Score: 60-70
- Punjab Kings Total: 170-190
- Match Result: Kolkata Knight Riders win the match
When and Where To Watch Punjab Kings vs Kolkata Knight Riders LIVE? Broadcast and Streaming Details
The Indian Premier League 2025 clash between Punjab Kings and Kolkata Knight Riders is set to begin at 7:30 PM IST on Tuesday, April 15, at the Maharaja Yadavindra Singh International Cricket Stadium, Mullanpur, Chandigarh. The match will be broadcast live on the Star Sports network and will also be available for live streaming on JioHotstar for FREE.
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