IPL 2025: KKR vs PBKS Match Prediction, Who Will Win Today Match 44?

In the last KKR vs PBKS head-to-head encounters of IPL between the Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) and the Punjab Kings (PBKS), the latter has enjoyed a winning margin of 3-2, including three successive victories in the last three fixtures.

The two franchises will meet each other on April 26, 2026, at Eden Gardens in Kolkata. Both sides are nearly in the same position. The Knight Riders are at the seventh rank with three wins in eight games, while Punjab is at the fifth position.

Going into the KKR vs PBKS fixture of the 2025 season, both sides have enjoyed different results inside the first six overs of the inning. For Kolkata, it’s a genuine issue. Their captain, Ajinkya Rahane, has discussed this in the last game.

Punjab has smashed 479 runs in eight innings during the first six overs of the inning at an average of nearly 30 and a strike rate of 166.32, scoring the best score of 89 runs in the opening game against Gujarat. They have nailed 53 boundaries and 25 sixes in this duration, besides losing 16 wickets.

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Meanwhile, the Knight Riders have collected 423 runs in eight innings at an average of 32.54 and a strike rate of 146.88, thanks to the best score of 90. Their batters have drilled 42 boundaries and sixes in this period, with the best score of 90.

They have replaced the wicket-keeper batter, Quinton de Kock, with the Afghanistan batter, Rahmanullah Gurbaz, before the upcoming fixture at the Eden Gardens.

Because they keep on losing wickets regularly, it becomes hard for numbers three and four to control the situation and get control of the situation.

KKR vs PBKS Head-to-Head Records

KKR vs PBKS: Previous Contest in Kolkata

The previous KKR vs PBKS encounter in the IPL history at the Eden Gardens took place last year. Kolkata posted 261/6 in the first innings thanks to two 70+ scores from wicket-keeper Phil Salt and Sunil Narine. Shreyas was the leader of the Knight Riders and drilled 28 runs in 10 balls.

On the other hand, Punjab chased down the score with eight wickets in hand. Jonny Bairstow celebrated his unbeaten 108 runs in 48 balls at a strike rate of 225, thanks to eight boundaries and nine sixes. Prabhsimran Singh dashed 54 runs in 20 balls, while Shashank Singh clubbed 68 unbeaten runs in 28 balls.

Probable Playing XIs

Kolkata Knight Riders

Rahmanullah Gurbaz (wk), Sunil Narine, Ajinkya Rahane (c), Venkatesh Iyer, Rinku Singh, Andre Russell, Ramandeep Singh, Moeen Ali/ Rovman Powell, Angkrish Raghuvanshi, Varun Chakravarthy, Harshit Rana.

Impact Sub: Vaibhav Arora.

Punjab Kings

Prabhsimran Singh, Priyansh Arya, Shreyas Iyer (c), Josh Inglis/Glenn Maxwell, Nehal Wadhera, Shashank Singh, Marcus Stoinis, Marco Janse, Arshdeep Singh, Yuzvendra Chahal, Harpreet Brar

Impact Sub: Xavier Bartlett

KKR vs PBKS Player Prediction

Best Batter Prediction: Shreyas Iyer

The middle-order batter has been in great touch this season. But after two successive failures against RCB, he will be eager to prove a point against his former franchise at the home venue from the previous edition.

Also Read: BCCI Initiates Strict Action On India vs Pakistan Cricket Future After Pahalgam Attack

Best Bowler Prediction: Varun Chakravarthy

Varun Chakravarthy wreaked havoc among the Punjab batters in the first round of the fixture and is expected to do the same against a team most of whose batters can’t play spin well.

KKR vs PBKS Winner Prediction

Between the two sides, currently, the Punjab Kings are likely to get the better of the Kolkata Knight Riders.