KKR vs PBKS Match Preview
In the upcoming match between Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) and Punjab Kings, both teams have their strengths and weaknesses to consider. KKR has struggled with consistency, losing three of their last five matches, and their top order has been a major weakness. Although their recent win against Sunrisers Hyderabad silenced some critics, they need to do more to prove they can win their third IPL title.
On the other hand, Punjab Kings have not won consecutive games since their first two matches of the season, but they have some promising players. Nathan Ellis has been a versatile wicket-taker this season, taking three scalps each in the power-play, middle overs, and death overs, and boasting a remarkable power-play economy of 6.8 in six innings. However, they also have Kagiso Rabada, who brings extra pace and the ability to trouble KKR's batsmen with his incisive short balls.
KKR has not won their last three home matches, but they are likely to stick with the same batting order and spin group. Their Indian seamers are uncertain, with Vaibhav Arora, Harshit Rana, and Umesh Yadav all potential starters. Meanwhile, the Kings' middle order, led by Liam Livingstone and Jitesh Sharma, poses a similar threat to KKR's Rana, Rinku Singh, and Andre Russell, but they must be wary of Varun Chakravarthy and Suyash Sharma.
If the Kings can navigate these challenges successfully, they would be favorites to win the match. However, both teams need to address their weaknesses and find consistency if they want to make a strong showing in the IPL.
Weather Report
We expect it to be a dry evening with minimal chances of rain. Sun does set early in this part of India and dew can therefore play a part as well. It would be a warm day with a cool breeze expected to make things cooler a bit towards the beginning of the match. Keeping all that into consideration and, of course, surface conditions, we expect the captain winning the toss to field first.
Pitch Report
Absolutely belter - this is what has been here at Kolkata in this season. Historically known to assist quick bowlers, this venue has been nothing short of a dream to bat on for the batters. The presence of dew in the second half of the match tilts it further in the favor of batsmen. The Kolkata pitch is batting-friendly and doesn't offer much threat from the turn of the ball. As a result, no total is considered safe, and it's anticipated that the par score for this match will be 200+. In the four games played at IPL 2023 at this venue so far, the average first-innings winning total has been 222. Considering all that, we expect the team batting first to aim for a minimum of a total of 210 runs. Anything less than that - is an advantage for the team chasing.
Notable stats
Partnerships at the top - Not so good
Opening has been an issue for both sides with average first wicket partnership being 20 and 20.1 for KKR and PBKS respectively. Having said that, openers have done well with Prabhsimran Singh, Shikhar Dhawan, Jason Roy, and Rahmanullah Gurbaz all amongst the runs.
A match-up worth banking on
Chakravarthy has been excellent against Shikhar Dhawan in recent times and KKR may want to introduce him early against this left-hander. He has dismissed Dhawan thrice from five occasions and might well be pumped here when bowling against Dhawan. An excellent match-up for KKR to bank upon.
Team News
No injuries to report of.
KKR vs PBKS Probable 11
KKR Playing 11
- Jason Roy
- Rahmanullah Gurbaz (Wk)
- Venkatesh Iyer
- Nitish Rana (C)
- Rinku Singh
- Andre Russell
- Shardul Thakur
- Sunil Narine
- Harshit Rana
- Vaibhav Arora
- Varun Chakravarthy
PBKS Playing 11
- Shikhar Dhawan (C)
- Prabhsimran Gill
- Sikandar Raza
- Liam Livingstone
- Jitesh Sharma (Wk)
- Sam Curran
- M Shahrukh Khan
- Rishi Dhawan
- Harpreet Brar
- Rahul Chahar
- Arshdeep Singh
Dream11 Prediction
Check out the Dream11 Fantasy team lineup for the upcoming IPL 2023 match that is to be played between Kolkata Knight Riders and Punjab Kings. Don’t forget to check back the latest updated team lineup right after the toss.
Top Picks
KKR vs PBKS Dream11 Team 1
Keeper: Rahmanullah Gurbaz , Jitesh Sharma
Batters: Shikhar Dhawan, Nitish Rana, Rinku Singh
All-rounders: Andre Russell, Sam Curran (VC), Liam Livingstone (C)
Bowlers: Arshdeep Singh, Varun Chakravarthy , Nathan Ellis
