IPL 2025: Can PBKS return to winning ways against KKR?

IPL 2025: Can PBKS return to winning ways against KKR?
14 Apr 2025

Punjab Kings (PBKS) eye return to winning ways against Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) in Match 31 of the 2025 Indian Premier League (IPL).

The match will be played in Mullanpur, New Chandigarh, on Tuesday.

As both teams have been impressive this season, a gripping contest is on the cards.

Here we present the match preview and key stats.

Pitch report and streaming details
Conditions

PBKS's home ground, the Maharaja Yadavindra Singh International Cricket Stadium in Mullanpur, will host the match.

The surface here is usually batting-friendly and has plenty of help for fast bowlers. The average run rate here in IPL reads 8.84.

The upcoming match will start from 7:30pm onward. Fans can watch the game live on the Star Sports Network and stream the same on the JioHotstar app and website.

A look at head-to-head record
Record

As per ESPNcricinfo, these two sides have clashed 33 times in IPL history, with the Knight Riders winning 21 games.

PBKS are far behind in this battle with 12 wins.

However, PBKS have won two of their last three games against the three-time winners, including one last season.

Notably, this will be the first PBKS vs KKR meeting in Mullanpur.

PBKS have played entertaining cricket this season
Team analysis

Punjab Kings are placed sixth on the points table with three wins and two losses from five matches.

Their previous game was an eight-wicket loss against Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) in a high-scoring match.

Notably, the Shreyas Iyer-led team failed to defend 245/6 in that match.

While power-hitting has been their key strength this season, they have struggled in the spin-bowling arena.

KKR's recent performance and aspirations
Team overview

Defending champions KKR have had a mixed run in IPL 2025, winning three and losing three out of their six matches.

Their recent victory was an impressive eight-wicket win against Chennai Super Kings (CSK).

A win against PBKS could potentially secure them a spot among the top four teams on the points table.

Here are the probable XIs and impact subs
XIs

PBKS (Probable XI): Priyansh Arya, Prabhsimran Singh (wk), Shreyas Iyer (c), Marcus Stoinis, Nehal Wadhera, Glenn Maxwell, Shashank Singh, Marco Jansen, Arshdeep Singh, Lockie Ferguson, Yuzvendra Chahal. Impact sub: Yash Thakur.

KKR (Probable XI): Quinton de Kock (wk), Sunil Narine, Ajinkya Rahane (c), Venkatesh Iyer, Rinku Singh, Moeen Ali, Andre Russell, Ramandeep Singh, Harshit Rana, Vaibhav Arora, Varun Chakaravarthy. Impact sub: Angkrish Raghuvanshi.

Here are the in-form players
Star performers

PBKS captain Shreyas Iyer has been in phenomenal form this season. He has amassed 250 runs in five innings at a strike rate of 208.33.

Meanwhile, KKR's spinner Varun Chakravarthy is the leading wicket-taker for his team with eight wickets at an economy of 6.39.

Priyansh Arya owns a powerplay strike rate of 224.19 this season.

Sunil Narine was superb in his preceding outing against CSK, claiming 3/13 from his 4 overs before scoring 44 from 18 balls.