26 April 2025: PBKS vs KKR – Full-on Dhamaka:
Taiyaar ho jao ek zabardast clash ke liye jab Punjab Kings (PBKS) aur Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) IPL 2025 ke Match 44 mein takkarenge, Eden Gardens, Kolkata mein, 26 April 2025 ko. Match shuru hoga shaam 7:30 PM IST se, aur yeh ek high-voltage drama hoga jismein dono teams ke superstars field pe aag laga denge
Teams Ka Josh Aur Key Players:
Punjab Kings:
Shreyas Iyer ke aggressive captaincy ke saath, PBKS points table mein fourth pe hai, eight matches mein four wins ke saath. Batting ka load Priyansh Arya (254 runs) aur Prabhsimran Singh (209 runs) ke explosive starts pe hai, aur Iyer ka 208.33 strike rate deta hai extra punch. Bowling mein Yuzvendra Chahal (9 wickets) aur Arshdeep Singh (11 wickets) hain trump cards, lekin Lockie Ferguson ke injury ke wajah se Xavier Bartlett ya Azmatullah Omarzai ko chance mil sakta hai.
Kolkata Knight Riders:
Ajinkya Rahane ke leadership mein, KKR seventh position pe hai, eight matches mein teen jeet ke saath. Unke spinners Sunil Narine aur Varun Chakravarthy hain game-changers—Narine ke paas PBKS ke khilaaf 36 wickets ka IPL record hai! Angkrish Raghuvanshi ne pichle match mein 37 runs dikhaaye, lekin Rinku Singh aur Andre Russell ko bada contribution chahiye. 21 April ko Gujarat Titans se 39 runs ki haar ke baad, KKR apne home crowd ke saamne comeback karne ko betaab hai.
Punjab Kings (PBKS)SQUAD:
PBKS ne IPL 2025 auction mein apni team ko naye sire se banaya hai, sirf do players—Prabhsimran Singh aur Shashank Singh—ko retain kiya, aur baki squad ko fresh talent aur experienced stars ke mix se bhara. Head coach Ricky Ponting ke vision ke saath, PBKS ke paas batting firepower, versatile all-rounders, aur ek strong bowling attack hai. Yeh team ab tak four wins ke saath points table mein fourth pe hai, aur kal ke match mein apna momentum continue karna chahegi.
Full Squad List:
- Batters: Shreyas Iyer (Captain), Priyansh Arya, Nehal Wadhera, Harnoor Pannu, Pyla Avinash
- Wicketkeepers: Prabhsimran Singh, Josh Inglis, Vishnu Vinod
- All-Rounders: Glenn Maxwell, Marcus Stoinis, Azmatullah Omarzai, Aaron Hardie, Musheer Khan, Shashank Singh, Suryansh Shedge, Marco Jansen, Harpreet Brar
- Bowlers: Yuzvendra Chahal, Arshdeep Singh, Lockie Ferguson, Vijaykumar Vyshak, Yash Thakur, Kuldeep Sen, Xavier Bartlett, Pravin Dubey
Note: Lockie Ferguson injury ke wajah se doubtful hai, toh Xavier Bartlett ya Marco Jansen unki jagah le sakte hain.
Key Players to Watch:
1. Shreyas Iyer (Captain, Batter):
- Role: Middle-order anchor aur aggressive finisher
- Stats: 208.33 strike rate is season, clutch performances ke liye famous
- Kya Expect Karein: Shreyas, jo KKR ke ex-captain hain, apne home ground pe emotional aur fiery performance denge. Unka spin ke khilaaf khelna aur innings ko control karna PBKS ke liye crucial hoga.
2. Priyansh Arya (Batter):
- Role: Explosive opener
- Stats: 254 runs is season, 176.63 strike rate in Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy 2024
- Kya Expect Karein: Priyansh ka aggressive PowerPlay batting KKR ke spinners Narine aur Chakravarthy ke khilaaf tone set kar sakta hai. Unka recent form unhe ek bada threat banata hai.
3. Yuzvendra Chahal (Bowler):
- Role: Lead spinner, wicket-taker
- Stats: 9 wickets is season, 4/28 vs KKR in last meeting
- Kya Expect Karein: Chahal ka spin magic Eden Gardens ke spin-friendly pitch pe KKR ke batsmen ko pareshan kar sakta hai. Unka experience middle overs mein game control karega.
4. Arshdeep Singh (Bowler):
- Role: Pace spearhead, death overs specialist
- Stats: 11 wickets is season, RTM se retained for ₹18 crore
- Kya Expect Karein: Arshdeep ka death bowling aur early swing KKR ke top order ko rok sakta hai. Lekin unka recent death overs economy (11 runs/over) ek challenge hai.
5. Glenn Maxwell (All-Rounder):
- Role: Middle-order hitter, off-spin option
- Stats: Big-hitting ability, handy spin bowling
- Kya Expect Karein: Maxwell ka unpredictable batting aur spin bowling KKR ke plans ko disrupt kar sakta hai. Unka Eden Gardens pe big shots khelne ka record unhe dangerous banata hai.
Predicted Playing XI:
Yeh hai PBKS ka probable XI kal ke match ke liye, considering form aur pitch conditions:
- Prabhsimran Singh (WK)
- Priyansh Arya
- Shreyas Iyer (Captain)
- Glenn Maxwell
- Marcus Stoinis
- Shashank Singh
- Azmatullah Omarzai / Marco Jansen (if Ferguson is unfit)
- Harpreet Brar
- Arshdeep Singh
- Yuzvendra Chahal
- Xavier Bartlett / Yash Thakur Impact Player: Nehal Wadhera / Josh Inglis
Strategy Aur Strengths:
- Batting Firepower: Priyansh Arya aur Prabhsimran ke aggressive starts, Shreyas Iyer ka stability, aur Maxwell-Stoinis ki finishing power PBKS ko big totals ya chases ke liye ready rakhta hai.
- Spin Attack: Chahal aur Harpreet Brar ka spin combo Eden Gardens ke pitch pe KKR ke batsmen, jaise Rinku Singh aur Andre Russell, ko middle overs mein bandh sakta hai.
- Home Advantage Nahi: PBKS ke liye Eden Gardens ek away game hai, lekin unka recent form (4 wins in 8 matches) aur KKR ke khilaaf past success (last match mein 111 defend kiya) unhe confidence deta hai.
- Challenge: Death overs mein bowling ek worry hai, kyunki Arshdeep aur Jansen ka economy high raha hai. Lockie Ferguson ka absence bhi pace attack ko thoda weak karta hai.
Match Context:
PBKS ka aim hoga KKR ke spin-heavy attack, lead by Sunil Narine (36 wickets vs PBKS in IPL history), ko counter karna. Eden Gardens pe dew factor ke wajah se chase karna better ho sakta hai, toh toss jeetna bada role play kar sakta hai. PBKS ke batsmen ko Narine aur Varun Chakravarthy ke spin trap se bachna hoga, jabki bowlers ko KKR ke power-hitters jaise Andre Russell ko jaldi out karna hoga.
Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR)SQUAD:
KKR, jo 2024 IPL champions hain, ne apne core ko IPL 2025 auction mein retain kiya, jismein star all-rounders Andre Russell aur Sunil Narine shamil hain. Head coach Chandrakant Pandit aur mentor Dwayne Bravo ke guidance mein, KKR ne ek balanced team banayi hai, jismein explosive batting, world-class spin, aur pace attack ka perfect mix hai. Eight matches mein teen wins ke saath, KKR points table mein seventh pe hai, aur yeh match unke liye playoff race mein wapas aane ka bada mauka hai.
Full Squad List:
- Batters: Ajinkya Rahane (Captain), Venkatesh Iyer, Rinku Singh, Angkrish Raghuvanshi, Manish Pandey, Rovman Powell
- Wicketkeepers: Quinton de Kock, Rahmanullah Gurbaz, Luvnith Sisodia
- All-Rounders: Sunil Narine, Andre Russell, Ramandeep Singh, Moeen Ali, Anukul Roy
- Bowlers: Varun Chakravarthy, Harshit Rana, Anrich Nortje, Spencer Johnson, Vaibhav Arora, Mayank Markande, Chetan Sakariya, Umran Malik
Note: Umran Malik ka inclusion doubtful hai kyunki woh is season mein sirf ek match khele hain, lekin injury cover ke taur pe available hain.
Key Players to Watch:
1. Ajinkya Rahane (Captain, Batter):
- Role: Top-order stabilizer aur tactical leader
- Stats: 4,642 runs in 185 IPL matches, strike rate 150 in recent CSK stint
- Kya Expect Karein: Rahane, jo CSK ke saath apna T20 game reinvent kar chuke hain, KKR ke liye anchor role khelenge. PBKS ke pace attack, jaise Arshdeep Singh, ke khilaaf unka experience Eden Gardens pe bada role khelega.
2. Sunil Narine (All-Rounder):
- Role: Mystery spinner, explosive opener
- Stats: 36 wickets vs PBKS (IPL record), 2024 ka Most Valuable Player
- Kya Expect Karein: Narine ka spin PBKS ke batsmen, jaise Priyansh Arya, ko middle overs mein rok sakta hai. Agar woh batting mein PowerPlay mein aaye, toh unka aggressive start KKR ko bada score de sakta hai.
3. Venkatesh Iyer (Batter/All-Rounder):
- Role: Middle-order powerhouse, occasional bowler
- Stats: 1,326 runs in 50 IPL matches, ₹23.75 crore ka auction buy
- Kya Expect Karein: Venkatesh, jo KKR ke most expensive player hain, apne big-hitting se PBKS ke bowlers ko punish kar sakte hain. Unka recent form aur Eden Gardens pe comfort unhe key player banata hai.
4. Andre Russell (All-Rounder):
- Role: Lower-order finisher, pace bowler
- Stats: 2,484 runs at 175 strike rate, 115 wickets in 127 IPL matches
- Kya Expect Karein: Russell ka explosive batting PBKS ke death overs bowling ko tod sakta hai. Unki bowling, especially short balls, Shreyas Iyer jaise batsmen ko pareshan kar sakti hai.
5. Varun Chakravarthy (Bowler):
- Role: Mystery spinner, middle-overs specialist
- Stats: 55 wickets in 43 middle-overs innings (last two seasons)
- Kya Expect Karein: Varun ka spin, jo Eden Gardens ke pitch pe grip karta hai, PBKS ke middle order, jaise Glenn Maxwell, ke liye bada threat hai. Unka control KKR ke bowling ka backbone hai.
Predicted Playing XI:
Yeh hai KKR ka probable XI kal ke match ke liye, considering form aur pitch conditions:
- Quinton de Kock (WK)
- Sunil Narine
- Ajinkya Rahane (Captain)
- Venkatesh Iyer
- Angkrish Raghuvanshi
- Rinku Singh
- Andre Russell
- Moeen Ali
- Harshit Rana
- Varun Chakravarthy
- Vaibhav Arora Impact Player: Anrich Nortje / Ramandeep Singh
Strategy Aur Strengths:
- Spin Dominance: Narine aur Varun Chakravarthy ka spin duo, Moeen Ali ke saath, PBKS ke batsmen ko middle overs mein choke kar sakta hai, especially Eden Gardens ke spin-friendly pitch pe.
- Power-Hitting: Quinton de Kock aur Narine ke PowerPlay fireworks, Venkatesh Iyer aur Russell ke big shots ke saath, KKR ko 200+ totals ya tough chases ke liye ready rakhte hain.
- Home Advantage: Eden Gardens ka passionate crowd aur KKR ka strong record (2024 mein 64,872 average attendance) unhe mental edge deta hai.
- Challenge: Death overs bowling ek weak point hai, jahaan Harshit Rana aur Anrich Nortje ne 88 boundaries concede kiye hain last two seasons mein. PBKS ke finishers jaise Maxwell iska fayda utha sakte hain.
Match Context:
KKR ka focus hoga PBKS ke spin-buster Yuzvendra Chahal ko early tackle karna aur unke batting ko low score pe rokna. Eden Gardens pe dew ka factor chase ko easier bana sakta hai, toh toss jeetkar bowling pehla choice ho sakta hai. KKR ko apni previous loss vs PBKS (111 ka failed chase) se seekh lekar disciplined approach rakhna hoga.
PITCH REPORTS:
Kal, 26 April 2025 ko, Punjab Kings (PBKS) aur Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) IPL 2025 ke Match 44 mein Eden Gardens, Kolkata mein aamne-saamne honge, shaam 7:30 PM IST se. Yeh iconic stadium apne high-scoring thrillers ke liye famous hai, aur is match mein bhi fans ko ek run-fest dekhne ko mil sakta hai. Chalo dekhte hain Eden Gardens ki pitch report aur conditions ka pura breakdown, jo is match ke outcome pe bada asar daal sakte hain!
Eden Gardens Pitch Characteristics:
Eden Gardens ki pitch T20 cricket mein batting ka paradise maani jaati hai, aur IPL 2025 mein bhi yeh trend continue hua hai. Recent matches aur reports ke mutabiq, yeh pitch flat aur true bounce offer karti hai, jisse batsmen ko stroke-play mein maza aata hai.
- Batting-Friendly Surface: Pitch pe consistent pace aur bounce hota hai, jo ball ko nicely bat pe aane deta hai. Is season, average first innings score 192/7 (run rate 9.62) raha hai, jo high-scoring games ki taraf ishaara karta hai.
- Grass Cover: Pitch pe moderate grass cover hota hai, jo pacers ko early overs mein thodi swing aur seam movement deta hai. Lekin yeh grass tightly packed hoti hai, isliye bounce predictable rehta hai.
- Spin Ka Role: Middle overs mein spinners ko thodi grip mil sakti hai, especially jab ball purani ho jati hai. KKR ke Sunil Narine aur Varun Chakravarthy, aur PBKS ke Yuzvendra Chahal iska fayda utha sakte hain.
- High-Scoring History: Sabse bada team total yahaan 262/2 hai, jo PBKS ne KKR ke khilaaf 2024 mein chase kiya tha (18.4 overs mein), jo IPL ka highest successful chase bhi hai. Is season, 200+ totals 13 baar bane hain 17 matches mein.
Recent Match Insight: Pichle match mein (KKR vs Gujarat Titans, 21 April 2025), pitch ne batsmen ko support kiya, aur GT ne 204 ka target 3 balls bacha ke chase kiya. Pacers ko early movement mila, lekin spinners middle overs mein effective rahe.
Pitch Behavior for PBKS vs KKR:
- PowerPlay: Early overs mein pacers, jaise KKR ke Vaibhav Arora aur PBKS ke Arshdeep Singh, swing ka fayda utha sakte hain. Lekin aggressive batsmen jaise Quinton de Kock ya Priyansh Arya boundaries maar sakte hain kyunki bounce consistent hai.
- Middle Overs: Spinners ka role bada hoga. Eden Gardens pe spinners ne 44% overs daale hain (since 2023 IPL), with an economy of 8.4 aur average of 26.6. Narine (71 wickets at Eden) aur Chahal is phase mein game control kar sakte hain.
- Death Overs: Pitch batting-friendly rehti hai, aur dew ke wajah se ball skid karti hai, jo chasing team ke liye faydemand hai. Death overs mein big shots aur sixes common hain—Eden pe 1,223 sixes IPL history mein
Stats Snapshot (T20s since 2023 IPL):
- Matches: 16
- Bat 1st Won: 7
- Bat 2nd Won: 9
- Average 1st Innings Score: 192/7
- Lowest Total Defended: 176
- Highest Target Chased: 262
- Sixes per Match: ~20
Weather aur Dew Factor:
- Weather: AccuWeather ke mutabiq, 26 April 2025 ko Kolkata mein temperature 27-28°C ke aaspaas hogi, with partly cloudy skies aur 1-2% chance of rain, yani match uninterrupted hoga.
- Humidity aur Dew: Humidity ~80% hogi, jo shaam ko dew ko badhava dega. Second innings mein ball grip karna bowlers ke liye mushkil ho sakta hai, isliye chasing team ko advantage mil sakta hai.
Toss Prediction: Dew ke wajah se toss jeetne wali team shayad bowl first karegi, kyunki chasing Eden Gardens pe historically zyada successful raha hai (56 wins out of 96 IPL matches).
Key Players aur Pitch Ka Impact:
- For PBKS:
- Batsmen: Priyansh Arya aur Prabhsimran Singh ke aggressive PowerPlay shots pitch ke pace aur bounce ka fayda utha sakte hain. Shreyas Iyer ka spin-handling Eden pe crucial hoga.
- Bowlers: Yuzvendra Chahal ka spin middle overs mein KKR ke batsmen ko rok sakta hai. Arshdeep Singh ko early wickets ke liye swing ka use karna hoga.
- For KKR:
- Batsmen: Quinton de Kock aur Venkatesh Iyer ke big shots pitch ke batting-friendly nature ke saath match karenge. Andre Russell death overs mein sixes ka toofan la sakta hai.
- Bowlers: Sunil Narine (record 71 wickets at Eden) aur Varun Chakravarthy ka spin PBKS ke middle order ko pareshan kar sakta hai. Vaibhav Arora early swing ke saath threat banenge.
Strategic Insights:
- Batting First: 200+ ka target set karna safe ho sakta hai, kyunki Eden pe 200+ totals ko defend karna tough raha hai (only 6 wins in 8 matches since 2023).
- Chasing: Dew aur batting-friendly conditions ke wajah se chasing teams ka win percentage 59.57% hai. PBKS ka 2024 chase (262) iska perfect example hai.
- Spinners Ka Importance: Middle overs mein wickets aur run control ke liye spinners key honge. KKR ke spin duo aur PBKS ka Chahal is match ke game-changers ho sakte hain.
Recent Pitch Controversy:
KKR ke captain Ajinkya Rahane ne is season pitch curator Sujan Mukherjee ke saath home advantage na milne ki shikayat ki thi, especially LSG ke khilaaf match (8 April 2025) mein, jahaan KKR 238 ka target chase nahi kar paya. Reports ke mutabiq, kal ka match usi pitch pe hoga jo KKR vs GT (21 April) mein use hui thi, jo batting-friendly thi. Yeh KKR ke liye faydemand ho sakta hai, lekin PBKS ke aggressive batsmen bhi iska fayda utha sakte hain.
26 April 2025: PBKS vs KKR – Kaun Jeetega Match 44?
Kal, 26 April 2025 ko, Punjab Kings (PBKS) aur Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) IPL 2025 ke Match 44 mein Eden Gardens, Kolkata mein bhidenge, shaam 7:30 PM IST se. Dono teams ke form, squad strength, aur pitch conditions ko dekhte hue, chalo analyze karte hain ke kis team ke jeetne ke chances zyada hain!
Current Form aur Head-to-Head:
- PBKS: Shreyas Iyer ke leadership mein, PBKS ne eight matches mein four wins ke saath points table mein fourth position rakhi hai. Unka recent form (LWLWW) mixed hai, lekin unhone KKR ke khilaaf is season ke pehle match (15 April 2025, Mullanpur) mein historic low total (111) defend karke 16 runs se jeet haasil ki thi. Unki batting, led by Priyansh Arya (254 runs) aur Shreyas Iyer (263 runs, 185.21 SR), strong hai, lekin bowling mein consistency ki kami hai, especially death overs mein.
- KKR: Ajinkya Rahane ke captaincy mein, KKR ne bhi eight matches khele hain, lekin teen wins ke saath seventh spot pe hain. Unka form (WLWLW) bhi inconsistent hai, aur pichle match mein Gujarat Titans se 39 runs ki haar ne unka confidence thoda hilaaya hai. KKR ka spin attack, led by Sunil Narine (36 wickets vs PBKS) aur Varun Chakravarthy, unka biggest strength hai, lekin batting mein top-order consistency ki zarurat hai.
Head-to-Head: 34 IPL matches mein, KKR ne 21 jeete, jabki PBKS ke paas 13 wins hain. Last five encounters mein PBKS ne 3-2 se edge rakhi hai, including 2024 ka record 262-run chase at Eden Gardens. At Eden, KKR ka record PBKS ke khilaaf 9-4 hai, jo unhe slight home advantage deta hai.
Pitch aur Conditions:
Eden Gardens ki pitch batting-friendly hai, jahaan high-scoring games common hain. Is season, average first innings score 192/7 hai, aur 200+ totals 13 baar bane hain 17 matches mein. Pichle PBKS vs KKR match (2024) mein yahaan 523 runs aur 42 sixes dekhe gaye, jo T20 history ka highest chase tha.
- Spinners ka Role: Middle overs mein spinners ko grip milti hai, jo KKR ke Narine aur Chakravarthy, aur PBKS ke Chahal ke liye faydemand hai.
- Pacers Early Advantage: Early overs mein pacers ko thodi swing mil sakti hai, lekin dew ke wajah se second innings mein bowling tough hoti hai.
- Dew Factor: Shaam ko 80% humidity aur dew ka chance chasing team ko edge deta hai, jaisa ki 59.57% chase wins se dikhta hai.
Toss Prediction: Dew aur chasing ka historical success (9/16 wins since 2023) dekhte hue, toss jeetne wali team shayad bowl first karegi. KKR ke toss jeetne ke chances zyada hain, based on recent trends.
Key Matchups aur Strengths:
PBKS Strengths:
- Explosive Batting: Shreyas Iyer (185.21 SR, 263 runs) aur Priyansh Arya (254 runs) ka form KKR ke bowlers ke liye bada threat hai. Shreyas ka KKR ke khilaaf record (456 runs, 38.00 avg, 149.02 SR) unhe key player banata hai.
- Chahal ka Spin: Yuzvendra Chahal ne pichle match mein KKR ke khilaaf 4/28 lekar game badla tha. Eden pe unka spin middle overs mein crucial hoga.
- Recent Win vs KKR: PBKS ka confidence high hai kyunki unhone KKR ko unke spin attack ke bawajood haraaya tha.
Weaknesses: Lockie Ferguson ke injury ke baad pace attack weak hai, aur death overs mein high economy (Marco Jansen, Arshdeep Singh) ek worry hai. Glenn Maxwell ka inconsistent form (34 runs in 4 innings) bhi chinta ka vishay hai.
KKR Strengths:
- Spin Dominance: Sunil Narine (71 wickets at Eden) aur Varun Chakravarthy (13 wickets, 6.38 econ) ka spin attack PBKS ke batsmen ko rok sakta hai, especially middle overs mein.
- Home Advantage: Eden Gardens ka passionate crowd aur KKR ka strong record (9-4 vs PBKS) unhe mental boost deta hai.
- All-Rounders: Andre Russell aur Narine ka batting-bowling combo KKR ko versatile banata hai. Russell ka death overs hitting PBKS ke weak death bowling ke liye dangerous hai.
Weaknesses: KKR ka top-order (except Ajinkya Rahane, 271 runs) inconsistent hai, aur Quinton de Kock aur Rinku Singh ka form ek issue hai. Death overs mein bowling bhi weak hai, jahaan Harshit Rana aur Anrich Nortje ne 88 boundaries concede kiye hain last two seasons mein.
Prediction Models aur Expert Opinions:
- AI Predictions: Pichle match (15 April 2025) ke liye, Google Gemini ne close contest predict kiya tha, jabki ChatGPT ne KKR ko 5 wickets ya 20+ runs se jeetne ka favorite maana tha. Lekin PBKS ne upset karke 111 defend kiya.
- Bookmakers: 1xBet ke odds KKR aur PBKS dono ke liye equal hain (1.914), lekin draw ka chance x55 hai, jo rare hai. TheTopBookies ne KKR ko 51-49 se slight favorite maana tha pichle match mein.
- Fan Sentiment on X: Kuch fans PBKS ko one-sided jeet ka prediction de rahe hain, especially Shreyas Iyer ke form aur KKR ke spin ke khilaaf PBKS ke recent success ke wajah se. Dusre KKR ke home advantage aur spin attack pe bharosa kar rahe hain.
Final Prediction:
Dono teams ke strengths aur weaknesses ko weigh karte hue, yeh match close hone ka chance hai, lekin KKR ke jeetne ke chances thodi zyada hain (55-45). Reasons:
- Home Advantage: Eden Gardens pe KKR ka record aur crowd support unhe edge deta hai.
- Spin Strength: Narine aur Chakravarthy ka spin PBKS ke aggressive batting ko middle overs mein control kar sakta hai, jaisa ki unhone CSK ke khilaaf kiya (103/9).
- Dew Factor: Chasing team ka historical advantage KKR ke favor mein hai agar woh toss jeetkar bowl first karte hain.
- Motivation: Ajinkya Rahane ke liye yeh match redemption ka mauka hai pichli haar ke baad, aur KKR apni playoff hopes ko boost karna chahega.
PBKS ke liye Chances: PBKS jeet sakti hai agar Shreyas Iyer aur Priyansh Arya bada score set karein ya chase karein, aur Chahal spin-friendly pitch pe KKR ke middle order ko collapse kare, jaise pichle match mein kiya. Unka recent form aur KKR ke khilaaf confidence unhe dangerous banata hai.
X-Factor: Andre Russell ka all-round performance (batting ya bowling) ya Shreyas Iyer ka KKR ke khilaaf big knock match ka rukh badal sakta hai.
Predicted Outcome: KKR chase karte hue 5 wickets ya 15-20 runs se jeet sakta hai, ya batting first 200+ ka target set karke defend kar sakta hai, provided Narine aur Chakravarthy middle overs mein dominate karein. Agar PBKS toss jeetkar chase kare aur Chahal spin magic repeat kare, toh woh upset kar sakte hain.