The Kolkata Knight Riders will host the Lucknow Super Giants in the 21st game of the 2025 Indian Premier League at Eden Gardens, Kolkata. The match will be held on April 8 at 3:30 PM IST.

The Kolkata Knight Riders will host the Lucknow Super Giants on Tuesday, April 8, at the legendary Eden Gardens for the 21st match of the 2025 Indian Premier League (IPL).

The Kolkata Knight Riders have won two and lost two out of four matches and stand fifth in the table. They defeated Sunrisers Hyderabad by 80 runs in their last match and are in confident form, particularly at home.

The Lucknow Super Giants, meanwhile, are sixth in the table with two victories and an equal number of defeats in four games. They defeated the Mumbai Indians in their last game and will be hoping to deliver another good performance. It is going to be a thrilling match.

Match Preview

Kolkata Knight Riders

Kolkata Knight Riders won a tough game against Sunrisers Hyderabad in their previous match. This game showed how crucial it is to have an in-form Venkataesh Iyer for KKR. He scored a half-century and took KKR to an easy win. Rinku Singh also managed to score a few runs, indicating how valuable he can prove to be at the lower end.

Ajinkya Rahane and Angrish Raghuvanshi also chipped in with runs, which will increase the confidence of KKR batsmen. Quinton de Kock is the opening batsman of KKR and is too good to miss out for an extended period of time. The actual issue for KKR appears to be Sunil Narine's failure to score runs at the top and Andre Russell's failure to score runs in the middle.

The below-par performance of two of their overseas players is so big a letdown that KKR might be forced to explore options if the pair fail to rein in their performances. Generally, KKR's batting is not very solid and depends predominantly on Quinton de Kock and Venkatesh Iyer, who do the bulk of the work and make marginal contribution.

KKR is stronger in bowling. Varun Chakravarthy and Sunil Narine are possibly the best spin pair they have. Vaibhav Arora has done well with the new ball, and Harshit Rana also does well with the short-ball approach.

LSG's batting is not as strong as well, but we feel Nicholas Pooran might be hard to contain for the KKR bowling attack.

Lucknow Super Giants

LSG had won their previous game against Mumbai Indians in a closely fought match. Mitch Marsh had hit his third half-century of the season and played a crucial part in the win. LSG also has top-notch Nicholas Pooran, who at the moment appears to be unstoppable.

The way Aiden Markram has scored runs also says something for LSG. We are aware that the batting order of LSG isn't as deep as some others. This is particularly so since Rishab Pant isn't scoring runs currently but this can change overnight. Ayush Badoni, David Miller and Abdul Samad too have a way of hitting the ball long on a good day.

Batting is not an issue for LSG right now. They miss some of their habitual bowlers and have to deal with much a weaker attack. Shardul Thakur has done okay, but all of us are aware of how costly he is.

Akash Deep is not really a T20 specialist, and Avesh Khan is not the most consistent. Even Ravi Bishnoi has failed to deliver so far. That leaves the relatively inexperienced Digvesh Singh Rathi as the attack leader. He has been extremely hard to get so far and looks great in confidence.

Pitch Report

So far, the pitch at Eden Gardens has been pretty balanced for cricket. We believe both teams should target an average score of around 180, but as the game progresses, the pitch is likely to slow down in the second innings, making the chase a bit tricky for either side.

Toss Prediction

Historically, the team that bowls first has had the upper hand at this venue. Out of the last five matches, three were won by the team that bowled first. So, we anticipate both teams will choose to field first in upcoming match.

Weather Report

With a 5% probability of disruption, we assume that climate will not play a significant role in the game. The maximum temperature during the game is expected to be 34°C and the minimum temperature 28°C.

Head to Head

The Lucknow Super Giants currently hold a narrow 3-2 edge over the Kolkata Knight Riders in this matchup. Last season, these two teams faced off twice, and KKR came out on top both times.

Venue Details

At Eden Gardens, the average score for the first innings usually hovers around 167. In the two IPL 2025 matches held there, the pitches varied, resulting in scores of 174-8 and 200-5. With a slower pitch expected, similar to the last match, both teams will likely aim for a total in the range of 180-190 to feel secure.

Match Prediction

The Kolkata Knight Riders won both encounters against the Lucknow Super Giants in the IPL 2024. Following their resounding 80-run home win last time, they come into this match on a high. Lucknow's batting depends on Mitchell Marsh and Nicholas Pooran. If they fail to impress, the match may soon fall apart. With the Knight Riders looking assured and playing at home, their chances are surely in their favor.

Kolkata Knight Riders are our pick to triumph in this match.

Betting Tips

While the Kolkata Knight Riders are playing on their home turf and are favored by all the bookmakers, we see things differently. LSG boasts a more formidable batting lineup, featuring some of the top T20 players in the world. Given the nature of the Eden Gardens pitch, LSG's bowling weaknesses might not be as exposed. We think LSG could pull off an upset here, and we're excited to place our bets on that. Currently, KKR's odds against LSG stand at 56% in favor of KKR.

Bet on KKR.

Probable Playing XI

Kolkata Knight Riders Playing XI

Quinton de Kock (WK), Sunil Narine, Ajinkya Rahane (C), Angkrish Raghuvanshi, Venkatesh Iyer, Rinku Singh, Andre Russell, Moeen Ali, Ramandeep Singh, Harshit Rana, Varun Chakaravarthy.

Lucknow Super Giants Playing XI

Mitchell Marsh, Aiden Markram, Nicholas Pooran, Rishabh Pant (C & WK), Ayush Badoni, David Miller, Abdul Samad, Shardul Thakur, Akash Deep, Avesh Khan, Digvesh Rathi.

Top Fantasy Picks Dream11 Prediction

Kolkata Knight Riders Key Players

Sunil Narine had a humble beginning to the tournament, scoring 51 runs and picking two wickets in three games till now. He's expecting a good comeback in this game.

Varun Chakravarthy is a strongly recommended bowler for your fantasy teams. With his enigmatic spin, he picked six wickets in four games, with a best figure of 3 for 22.

Andre Russell is an all-time great all-rounder with a great track record at Eden Gardens. He's a first choice against this team.

Lucknow Super Giants Key Players

Nicholas Pooran is the Orange Cap leader in the 2025 IPL. He has made 201 runs in four matches at a strike rate of 218.48 and an average of 50.25. The West Indian wicketkeeper will have fun batting at Eden Gardens because of the quick outfield and comparatively short boundaries.

Shardul Thakur has made an instant name for himself with the Lucknow Super Giants, playing consistently and also leading his team's wicket-takers with seven wickets, making him our choice for the next match.

Mitchell Marsh has scored three half-centuries in four innings in the 2025 IPL, scoring a total of 184 runs with a strike rate of 185.85.