The Punjab Kings are level with four other teams on 10 points while the Kolkata Knight Riders have 8 points after 10 games. KKR enters the contest fresh off a victory, while their opponents suffered a defeat at the hands of the Mumbai Indians.
In the weeks before this game, KKR had a bad run. They have only won 2 games in their last 7 contests. Even at home in Kolkata, they lost their last three games. Kolkata has struggled with their fast bowling, but they are happy with the results their spinners are producing. Varun Chakaravarthy successfully held off 9 runs in the final over of their previous game. In the history of the Indian Premier League, no other spinner has ever effectively restricted less than 10 runs in the last over. For KKR to make the playoffs, they would need to win their final four games.
Similar to KKR, PBKS has struggled with the ball in recent games. Over 200 runs have been conceded by their bowlers in each of their last four games. Kolkata, who has struggled at home, will have to step up against PBKS, who has performed admirably away from home. They have won four of their five away games. This season, their batting has kept them from suffering defeats. Even though they have conceded more than 200 runs in the previous four games, their hitting has improved and guided them to two victories. The batting order for PBKS will face a difficult struggle when facing KKR’s strong spin department.
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KKR vs PBKS Match Details
Kolkata Knight Riders vs Punjab Kings, Match 53, IPL 2023
Venue:
Eden Gardens, Kolkata
Date & Time:
Monday, May 8, 7:30 PM IST
Telecast & Streaming Details:
Star Sports Network and JioCinema
KKR vs PBKS Pitch Report:
Teams batting first have won three out of the four games played at Eden Gardens so far this season. Three times this season, teams batting first have scored more than 200 runs, compared to the season’s average first-inning total of 211. The captain who opts to bat first will therefore try to reach a large total and put the opposition under pressure in this high-scoring venue.
KKR vs PBKS Probable Playing XIs
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Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR):
Rahmanullah Gurbaz (wk), Jason Roy, Venkatesh Iyer, Nitish Rana (c), Andre Russell, Rinku Singh, Sunil Narine, Shardul Thakur, Vaibhav Arora, Harshit Rana, Varun Chakravarthy
Punjab Kings (PBKS):
Prabhsimran Singh, Shikhar Dhawan (c), Matthew Short, Liam Livingstone, Jitesh Sharma (wk), Sam Curran, Shahrukh Khan, Harpreet Brar, Rishi Dhawan, Rahul Chahar, Arshdeep Singh
KKR vs PBKS Probable Best Performers
Probable Best Batter
Liam Livingstone:
Livingstone has amassed 157 runs in the first five innings of the season, with an average of 39.25 and a strike rate of 163.54. In the most recent game against MI, he produced a fantastic inning, scoring 82* off 42 balls. In a previous match against CSK, he played an incredible 40 off 24 balls. Livingstone will once again show that KKR can’t easily ignore him throughout the match.
Probable Best Bowler
Varun Chakravarthy:
Chakravarthy leads KKR in wicket-taking for the current season with 14 wickets from 10 games. He was named Player of the Match for the previous game against SRH, which he won with a 1/20 spell in four overs. The mysterious spinner, who has already taken home two Player of the Match honours this season, will be looking to bowl his team to victory against PBKS.
KKR vs PBKS Match Prediction: Kolkata Knight Riders to win the match
Disclaimer: This prediction is based on the understanding, analysis, and instinct of the author. While making your prediction, consider the points mentioned, and make your own decision.
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