KKR vs PBKS Dream11 Prediction, IPL 2025: The iconic Eden Gardens is all set for a Saturday night showdown as the Kolkata Knight Riders lock horns with the Punjab Kings in Match 44 of the IPL 2025.
The defending champions KKR are desperate for a turnaround, languishing in seventh place with only three wins from eight matches. They’ve stumbled recently with back-to-back losses, and their form at home has been anything but reassuring.
On the flip side, PBKS are flirting with the top four and sit in fifth place with five wins. Although they were outclassed by RCB in their last outing, Shreyas Iyer’s men have shown enough promise this season to challenge any opposition. With a win, PBKS can catapult to third place. Their gritty win against KKR earlier this season, when they defended a record-low 112, will surely be on their minds.
Match Information
- Match: Kolkata Knight Riders vs Punjab Kings, 44th Match
- Date: Saturday, April 26, 2025
- Time: 7:30 PM IST
- Venue: Eden Gardens, Kolkata
- Broadcast: Star Sports Network
- Live Stream: JioHotstar
Pitch and Weather Conditions
The Eden Gardens surface has morphed into a batter’s paradise this season. The average first-innings score is a whopping 202, with three of the last four games won by teams batting first. The pitch offers decent bounce early on for pacers but settles beautifully under the lights, making timing easier as the game progresses.
As for the weather, fans can breathe easy. The Kolkata skies will be clear and humid, with temperatures hovering around 27°C. There’s no rain forecast, making it a perfect night for cricket.
Team Preview
Kolkata Knight Riders: KKR’s campaign has been derailed by inconsistency. Rahane has been among the runs, but the team will hope for more from Venkatesh Iyer and Russell. The bowling has relied heavily on Varun Chakaravarthy and Narine’s spin magic.
Punjab Kings: PBKS have had a steady run thanks to the performances of Priyansh Arya and Shreyas Iyer. Arshdeep Singh has led the bowling charge with support from Bartlett and Chahal. The overseas unit, including Marcus Stoinis and Marco Jansen, needs to step up.
Key Players to Watch
- Ajinkya Rahane (KKR): 271 runs in 8 matches at a strike rate of 146.49.
- Sunil Narine (KKR): 147 runs and 7 wickets in 7 matches. Economy: 7.60
- Varun Chakaravarthy (KKR): 10 wickets in 8 games, economy: 6.48
- Shreyas Iyer (PBKS): 263 runs in 8 matches, strike rate: 185.21
- Priyansh Arya (PBKS): 254 runs in 8 matches, strike rate: 201.59
- Arshdeep Singh (PBKS): 11 wickets in 8 games, economy: 8.62
KKR vs PBKS Dream11 Prediction
Wicketkeepers: Prabhsimran Singh
Batters: Ajinkya Rahane, Shreyas Iyer, Priyansh Arya, Venkatesh Iyer
All-rounders: Sunil Narine, Marcus Stoinis
Bowlers: Varun Chakaravarthy, Arshdeep Singh, Yuzvendra Chahal, Harshit Rana
Captain Choices: Sunil Narine, Priyansh Arya
Vice-Captain Choices: Shreyas Iyer, Varun Chakaravarthy
Team News
KKR: No new injury concerns. Rahmanullah Gurbaz expected to retain his spot.
PBKS: Likely to retain the same XI. No injuries reported.
KKR vs PBKS Probable Playing XI
KKR: Rahmanullah Gurbaz, Sunil Narine, Ajinkya Rahane, Venkatesh Iyer, Rinku Singh, Andre Russell, Ramandeep Singh, Moeen Ali, Harshit Rana, Vaibhav Arora, Varun Chakaravarthy
PBKS: Priyansh Arya, Prabhsimran Singh, Shreyas Iyer, Josh Inglis, Nehal Wadhera, Shashank Singh, Marcus Stoinis, Marco Jansen, Xavier Bartlett, Arshdeep Singh, Yuzvendra Chahal
KKR vs PBKS Full Squads
Kolkata Knight Riders: Rahmanullah Gurbaz(w), Sunil Narine, Ajinkya Rahane(c), Venkatesh Iyer, Rinku Singh, Moeen Ali, Andre Russell, Ramandeep Singh, Harshit Rana, Vaibhav Arora, Varun Chakaravarthy, Angkrish Raghuvanshi, Manish Pandey, Anukul Roy, Rovman Powell, Luvnith Sisodia, Quinton de Kock, Anrich Nortje, Spencer Johnson, Chetan Sakariya, Mayank Markande.
Punjab Kings: Priyansh Arya, Prabhsimran Singh, Shreyas Iyer(c), Josh Inglis(w), Nehal Wadhera, Shashank Singh, Marcus Stoinis, Marco Jansen, Xavier Bartlett, Arshdeep Singh, Yuzvendra Chahal, Harpreet Brar, Vijaykumar Vyshak, Praveen Dubey, Glenn Maxwell, Suryansh Shedge, Yash Thakur, Aaron Hardie, Azmatullah Omarzai, Kuldeep Sen, Harnoor Singh, Vishnu Vinod, Musheer Khan, Pyla Avinash.