Cricket
IPL: Kolkata Knight Riders vs Punjab Kings Preview: Tips, Odds and Prediction
Date: April 26, 2025 Starting time: 19:30 local time Venue: Eden Gardens, Kolkata Last meeting: Punjab Kings defeated Kolkata Knight Riders by 16 runs (April 15, 2025) Kolkata Knight Riders welcome Punjab Kings to Eden Gardens for Match 44 of the 2025 Indian Premier League. IPL betting sites have listed odds for the clash - read our in-depth preview before betting on the Indian Premier League.
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Harshit Rana celebrates the wicket of Heinrich Klaasen//Getty Images
Kolkata Knight Riders vs Punjab Kings Match Details
Less than two weeks after a history-making run defence, Punjab Kings travel to Kolkata Knight Riders as the season winds down.
KKR - the defending league champions - have not looked as impressive in 2025 while PBKS are holding on for a spot in the playoffs.
Kolkata Knight Riders and Punjab Kings face off at Eden Gardens on April 26 and IPL betting sites have listed odds for the game.
Pre-Game Odds and Win Probability
Kolkata Knight Riders Favoured
Online sports betting on the match has begun, with SportsBoom also making its prediction for Kolkata Knight Riders versus Punjab Kings.
Home: 18/25 (1.72) - 58.1%
Away: 28/25 (2.12) - 47.2%
Odds courtesy of BetWinner - subject to change
Head-to-Head Record
Last five meetings (Indian Premier League)
April 15, 2025: Punjab Kings won by 16 runs
April 26, 2024: Punjab Kings won by 8 wickets
May 8, 2023: Knight Riders won by 5 wickets
April 1, 2023: Punjab Kings won by 7 runs
April 1, 2022: Knight Riders won by 6 wickets
Kolkata Knight Riders: Current Squad
Key Players to Watch
- Angkrish Raghuvanshi: Brought in as an impact substitute for Knight Riders against Punjab Kings, the top-order batsman top-scored with 37 runs from 28. While the defending champions were unable to chase down 111 runs, his contribution could result in similar roles in pressure situations.
- Harshit Rana: With three wickets at a tidy economy rate of 8.33, the fast bowler caused devastation among the PBKS top-order, dismissing Priyansh Arya, Prabhsimran Singh and skipper Shreyas Iyer. His wicket-taking skills would be in demand for a KKR side itching for revenge.
- Varun Chakravarthy: The mystery spinner employed his bag of tricks well in the first leg against Punjab, claiming two wickets and conceding only 21 runs. His range of variations prevents opposing batsmen from gaining a foothold, with the resulting pressure often leading to dismissals.
Punjab Kings: Current Squad
Key Players to Watch
- Prabhsimran Singh: Top-scoring from the front, the opener seemed set for a solid score when he was caught on 30 from 15 balls against KKR. In a low-yield innings that few would have expected Punjab to defend, he contributed almost a third of the total and has remained in form.
- Yuzvendra Chahal: The experienced spinner was on fire in the home leg against Kolkata, conceding only 28 runs and reaping four wickets, including danger men Ajinkya Rahane and Angkrish Raghuvanshi. His team would be backing him to continue breaking up promising partnerships.
- Marco Jansen: With batting taking a backseat in the first game between Kolkata and Punjab this season, the South African fast bowler had a chance to shine with the ball. He took three wickets at an economy rate of 5.36, with Sunil Narine and Andre Russell among his victims.
Predicted Line-ups
Kolkata Knight Riders
- Quinton de Kock (A South African opener with solid striking capabilities)
- Sunil Narine (The West Indies all-rounder is a key opening batsman)
- Ajinkya Rahane (The captain excels at quick scoring at the top of the order)
- Venkatesh Iyer (An all-rounder who excels at adapting to conditions)
- Rinku Singh (This batsman anchors the middle-order with a graceful style)
- Andre Russell (The West Indies big hitter is a notorious boundary merchant)
- Ramandeep Singh (Rounding out the middle-order is this batter’s role)
- Harshit Rana (The fast bowler is called on to handle the pressure overs)
- Anrich Nortje (The South African’s pace bowling has impressed his team)
- Varun Chakravarthy (A spin bowler who excels at breaking partnerships)
- Vaibhav Arora (This pace bowler relies on variations to keep batsmen unsettled)
Punjab Kings
- Priyansh Arya (A left-handed opening batsman with a solid track record)
- Prabhsimran Singh (A opening batsman who has been in decent form)
- Shreyas Iyer (The captain capitalises on contributions at the top of the order)
- Nehal Wadhera (This batsman is able to adapt to many batting positions)
- Josh Inglis (A wicketkeeper and batsman with a good striking technique)
- Glenn Maxwell (This Australian all-rounder is known for hitting boundaries)
- Suyansh Shedge (An all-rounder who provides an extra bowling option)
- Shashank Singh (Spin bowling and lower-order hitting are his specialities)
- Marco Jansen (The South African has transformed himself into an all-rounder)
- Arshdeep Singh (This left-arm bowler has a blistering, accurate style)
- Yuzvendra Chahal (A spin bowler with many deadly variations to employ)
Suggested Bets
For IPL betting tips, fans who follow the Indian Premier League can look to the best online betting sites for suggested bets like these:
Team to Win the Toss - Punjab Kings: Shreyas Iyer, as the visiting captain, will get to call the coin toss. With this minor edge, he could give Punjab Kings the early advantage in a game they would be aiming to win (19/20 with Betandyou) (19/20 with BetWinner)
Value Bets
When looking for free betting promos, IPL sportsbooks are also offering value bets for fans interested in games like KKR vs PBKS:
First Ball of the Match - 4 Runs: Both teams enter this match with something to prove: KKR as defending champions and PBKS as contenders for this year’s title, so it could be a high-scoring affair from the first ball (5/1 with BetWinner) (5/1 with Betandyou)
Prediction: Kolkata Knight Riders to Win
Kolkata Knight Riders have struggled to free themselves of the mid-table positions, trading wins and losses so far. Punjab Kings, meanwhile, have been a constant in the playoff spots despite some ups and downs.
On paper, the home team has been given the odds of winning the match and perhaps edging into contention for the next round this season. Facing the daunting prospect of meeting KKR at Eden Gardens, PBKS would need to outdo themselves against a Knight Riders side also seeking some get-even.
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