KKR vs PBKS Stats Preview, Match 44 - Stats preview of players' records and approaching milestones

Kolkata Knight Riders and Punjab Kings have both played eight matches so far in IPL 2025, but their position in the points table is quite constrasting. While PBKS have won five and lost three, KKR have lost five and won just three of their eight matches. Despite the four point gulf, PBKS are fifth on the table while KKR are seventh. 

Both the teams are coming off losses in their previous game. Punjab Kings lost their last game by seven wickets against RCB at Mullanpur. Despite a strong start from the openers, RCB spinners Krunal Pandya and Suyash Sharma reigned supreme. The visitors continued the good work with a restrictive death bowling performance and hunted down an under-par target. Phil Salt left early in the chase, but Virat Kohli and Devdutt Padikkal made sure RCB walked away with two points.

Meanwhile, KKR faced an emphatic loss against Gujarat Titans at home in their last game. Shubman Gill and Sai Sudharsan's half-centuries set the platform and Jos Buttler put in the finishing touches to lead GT to an imposing total. During their chase, KKR skipper Ajinkya Rahane got a fifty but Prasidh Krishna and Rashid Khan;s inspired their team to a comprehensvie win. 

Meanwhile, the upcoming match will be a repeat fixture as is customary in the second half of the IPL. The previous meeting of the two sides at Mullanpur, Punjab Kings scripted a jailbreak as they defended the lowest toal ever in IPL history. At one stage, the PBKS openers were cruising before Harshit Rana struck thrice in the powerplay to bring them down. The rest of KKR's bowling shot PBKS out for a paltry 111. 

KKR were well-positioned at 62/2 in their chase but Yuzvendra Chahal induced a collapse that saw them lose six wickets for 17 runs in just 31 balls. Even Andre Russell's 17-run over off Chahal wasn't enough to prevent PBKS from pulling off a hiest as they restricted KKR 16 runs short.

Other than the points on offer, this match holds some nostalgic value as it will be played on the same date and venue where PBKS broke the record for the highest successful chase in T20 cricket. On 26 April 2024 in Kolkata, Jonny Bairstow and Shahshank Singh had powered PBKS to a successful chase of 262 against KKR. 

Important upcoming milestones for players in Kolkata Knight Riders vs Punjab Kings, Match 44

KKR Players' Upcoming Milestones: 

• Ajinkya Rahane: Needs 87 runs to reach 5,000 runs in IPL. 
• Varun Chakravarthy: Needs two wickets to complete 150 wickets in T20s. 
• Andre Russell: Needs 19 runs to complete 25000 runs for KKR in IPL. 
• Russell: Needs 11 runs to complete 1000 runs at Kolkata in IPL.
• Russell: Needs 44 runs to become KKR's highest run-scorer against PBKS in IPL. 

PBKS Players' Upcoming Milestones: 

• Josh Inglis: Needs 85 runs to reach 3500 runs in T20s. 
• Prabhsimran Singh: Needs 35 runs to complete 1,000 IPL runs.
• Maxwell: Needs 54 runs to become PBKS' highest run-scorer against KKR in IPL. 
• Stoinis: Needs 67 runs to reach 2000 runs in IPL.