IPL 2024, Match 42: Kolkata Knight Riders vs Punjab Kings Match Preview

The capital city of West Bengal, Kolkata, is set to welcome Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) and Punjab Kings (PBKS) as they lock horns in what promises to be a mouth-watering Indian Premier League (IPL 2024) clash on Friday, April 26, at the iconic Eden Gardens.

Judging by the points tally, the contest might seem like a mismatch as KKR is placed second, while PBKS is in the ninth position on the points table. However, when the 2014 edition finalists collide, past results and positions on the points table do not have much bearing on the outcome of the match.

KKR has won five out of their seven matches so far in IPL 2024. They are coming off a nail-biting one-run victory off the last ball against  Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) at home. Meanwhile, Punjab has managed to win two games from eight matches and they are on a four-match losing streak.

Also Check: IPL 2024 Schedule

The former two-time champions have had multiple players putting their hands up during the season so far. Phil Salt has hit a couple of important half-centuries. In their last game against Bengaluru, he scored a quickfire 48 off 14. While Harshit Rana has also been brilliant and has bagged crucial wickets. However, the star performer has been Sunil Narine. The star all-rounder hit his maiden IPL century in their game against the Rajasthan Royals and also bagged a couple of wickets.

All-rounder Andre Russell hasn't fired much with the bat in the last few clashes. But his bowling has done the talking. In the last game, Russell picked up three wickets and changed the momentum towards his side.  He has two crucial wickets in the same over.  KKR has batted well as a unit and last year's sensation, Rinku Singh, has had few chances to show his capabilities. The main concern for the Knights will be fast bowler Mitchell Starc's poor form, as the Australian seamer has bagged only six wickets in seven games. In the game against RCB, he got hit for three sixes in the final over, before bowling two good deliveries.

Shashank Singh and Ashutosh Sharma have been the find of this season. Both batters have been the crisis managers for the Punjab side. Singh has scored 195 runs at an average of 48.75. While Sharma has scored 159 runs at an average of 39.75. Liam Livingstone has also not fired this season, which has proved to be one of the key reasons for Punjab's failure.

The bowling department has been doing decently well compared to the batting line-up. Harshal Patel is one of the contenders for the Purple Cap and has been giving those crucial wickets. The stand-in skipper Sam Curran is also picking up wickets at regular intervals.  These two teams will face for the first time this season.

Also Check: IPL 2024 Points Table

Eden Gardens, Kolkata Pitch Report

The Eden Gardens have typically generated excellent batting surfaces. This venue has already hosted four IPL 2024 matches. The average first-inning score is 197. The chasing teams won two of the four games. The team that wins the toss will look to bowl first and chase the down the target later.

Probable Playing XI

Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR)

The opening duo of Phil Salt and Sunil Narine has been a hit, with both batter's impactful performances being on full display. Angkrish Raghuvanshi, who started the season well, hasn't been scoring runs in the last few matches and is getting dismissed cheaply. Skipper Shreyas Iyer has been getting runs off his bat. The bowling department of KKR has impressed everyone. Both spinners and pacers have contributed immensely. Mitchell Starc is the only bowler who has gone for runs in almost every game, and that is a concerning factor for the hosts. 

Predicted XI: Sunil Narine, Phil Salt (WK), Angkrish Raghuvanshi, Venkatesh Iyer, Shreyas Iyer (C), Rinku Singh, Ramandeep Singh, Andre Russell, Mitchell Starc, Harshit Rana, Varun Chakravarthy

Impact Player: Vaibhav Arora

Punjab Kings (PBKS)

Punjab Kings' batting, particularly their top order, has been a letdown in the first half of the season. In Shikhar Dhawan's absence due to a shoulder injury and Jonny Bairstow struggling for form, they have tried a new opening combination. But Dhawan could return to the side after missing the last three games. Even the middle-order hasn't fired the way they should have. The bright spot for PBKS this season has been the inclusion of Shashank Singh and Ashutosh Sharma, who have been in excellent form. The bowling has been decent so far by the Punjab bowlers.

Predicted XI: Shikhar Dhawan (c), Prabhsimran Singh, Rilee Rossouw, Sam Curran, Liam Livingstone, Jitesh Sharma (wk), Shashank Singh, Ashutosh Sharma, Harpreet Brar, Harshal Patel, Kagiso Rabada

Impact Player-  Arshdeep Singh

Head-to-Head Record

IPL 2024: Match 42: Kolkata Knight Riders vs Punjab Kings