The Punjab Kings (PBKS) will seek to get back to winning on Tuesday, April 15, at the Maharaja Yadavindra International Cricket Stadium in Mullanpur, against the Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) in the 2025 Indian Premier League (IPL).

The Punjab Kings will play the Kolkata Knight Riders in the 31st match of the 2025 IPL at the Maharaja Yadavindra Singh Stadium in Mullanpur.

The PBKS lost their previous match against Sunrisers Hyderabad by eight wickets. It was an exciting match in which the SRH batsmen made 246 runs. However, the PBKS have won three out of their five matches and have a good opportunity to qualify.

Kolkata, on the other hand, won their previous match against Chennai Super Kings at the M.A. Chidambaram Stadium in Chennai. Their bowlers, particularly the spinners, performed magnificently and kept the hosts to 103/9 in 20 overs. KKR made Chennai seem helpless, as they first survived 61 dot balls and then the visitors achieved the 104-run target with the same number of balls.

Match Preview

Punjab Kings

Priyansh Arya opening the innings. He was a discovery, making an impressive 36 runs off as few as 13 balls from Sunrisers Hyderabad. His opening partner Prabhsimran Singh makes a good match, making 42 runs like lightning in the same over. Number three player Captain Shreyas Iyer is the whiz kid of the innings who makes an exceptional 82 runs off 36 balls recently.

The middle order boasts energetic players such as Nehal Wadhera, who showed great promise with his 27-run knock against SRH. Glenn Maxwell is one of the hottest commodities in most T20 markets around the globe. Marcus Stoinis stands out with his powerful hitting, which he proved with his 34-run burst off 11 balls, four of which were consecutive sixes in the last over against Sunrisers. Shashank Singh is a reliable finisher with a strike rate of 158.82.

A little further down the order, all-rounder Marco Jansen makes his mark with his all-round skill with bat and ball. The bowling line-up is spearheaded by Yuzvendra Chahal, who has become the first bowler to reach 200 IPL wickets.

Arshdeep Singh spearheads the pace attack with his energy and accuracy in the initial and last overs. Singh boasts the best bowling figures in the IPL with five for 32. Yash Thakur provides depth to the powerful seam department.

Kolkata Knight Riders

Quinton de Kock delivered 141 runs in six games at a strike rate of 141 and a highest score of 97. His two-wicket partner Sunil Narine delivered 125 runs in five games, gaining a strike rate of 189.39. With a total of 185 IPL wickets, he is also a suitable spin bowler.

Skipper Ajinkya Rahane tops the team's run charts with 204 runs at a 40.80 average and strike rate of 154.55, including two half-centuries.

Venkatesh Iyer in the middle order gave solidity and pace, scoring 114 runs in four innings with a highest of 60. Rinku Singh has been a consistent finisher in this tournament with a strike rate of 167.64. Andre Russell, who has not yet settled into rhythm, is still a force to be reckoned with his all-round abilities. Ramandeep Singh makes KKR's batting order wider.

As the game goes on, the team is helped by the all-rounder Moeen Ali, who plays a vital role. Vaibhav Arora and Harshit Rana played an important role with the ball at some key moments.

Varun Chakravarthy rounds out the team with his unique abilities in spin bowling. Both Rana and Chakravarthy picked two wickets in the previous match. Ali and Arora also chipped in with one wicket each.

Pitch Report

The Mullanpur pitch is shaping up to be quite the battleground. With its hard surface and reliable bounce, it keeps both batsmen and bowlers on their toes. Typically, the first innings score hovers around 180, but this pitch has seen some thrilling matches, including the Rajasthan Royals smashing a top score of 205 in just 20 overs this year.

Toss Prediction

The previous two IPL 2025 matches in Mullanpur and Chandigarh saw the teams batting first come out on top with ease. This trend suggests that choosing to bat first is a safer bet in this scenario.

Weather Report

As for the weather, it’s going to be intense: daytime temperatures are expected to soar close to 40 degrees Celsius, and even at night, it won’t dip below 30 degrees with high humidity levels. Thankfully, rain isn’t in the forecast.

Head to Head

The teams have been trading wins and losses lately. In their last five encounters, the Punjab Kings have come out on top three times (including their most recent match), while the Kolkata Knight Riders have secured two victories.

Venue Details

In the two IPL 2025 matches held in Mullanpur, the teams that batted first put up impressive scores of 205-4 and 219-6, both winning quite comfortably. It looks like we can expect another high-scoring affair, with the team batting first likely to aim for a total of around 200-210 runs.

Match Prediction

Currently, the Punjab Kings sit in sixth place, but they’re looking much stronger with three wins out of five matches. KKR has had its ups and downs—some moments of brilliance mixed with some not-so-great ones. Punjab's batting lineup appears quite formidable and should thrive on this pitch. However, their bowling has struggled under pressure, which was evident in their last game. KKR has the ability to surprise when they’re on point, but the big question is which version of KKR will show up. There’s no clear favorite here; it could really go either way. Considering the current conditions and Punjab's batting form, they hold a slight edge. We’d say it’s a close call, maybe 51-49 in favor of Punjab, but if their bowling falters again, KKR could very well snatch the win.

We’re leaning towards the Punjab Kings to take this match.

Betting Tips

This match could be a game-changer for whichever team can find their rhythm in the latter half of the tournament, especially after some shaky performances so far. Both teams are focused on results, but they’ll need to bring their A-game in batting, bowling, and fielding. KKR might have a slight edge after their recent victory over CSK by eight wickets. Currently, KKR has a 52% chance of winning against PBKS.

Bet on PK.

Probable Playing XI

Punjab Kings Playing XI

Priyansh Arya, Prabhsimran Singh (wk), Shreyas Iyer (c), Nehal Wadhera, Shashank Singh, Glenn Maxwell, Marcus Stoinis, Marco Jansen, Yuzvendra Chahal, Arshdeep Singh, Yash Thakur.

Kolkata Knight Riders Playing XI

Quinton de Kock (wk), Sunil Narine, Ajinkya Rahane (c), Rinku Singh, Venkatesh Iyer, Andre Russell, Ramandeep Singh, Vaibhav Arora, Moeen Ali, Harshit Rana, Varun Chakravarthy.

Top Fantasy Picks Dream11 Prediciton

Punjab Kings Key Players

Shreyas Iyer is in his best form during the current IPL. He has scored in nearly every game and has made a huge contribution to the team's win. As captain, he is a valuable asset to the team. Iyer can turn out to be the best batsman of the match, as he plays against his previous team, KKR.

Priyansh Arya had hit a 40-ball century in a previous game against CSK and is an excellent choice to play against this team.

Kolkata Knight Riders Key Players

Sunil Narine is the fantasy team's MVP. He is an opening batsman and an excellent off-spinner. Back him to score in both departments.

Andre Russell is an excellent all-rounder and has a good track record in Eden Gardens. He will be in top demand against this opposition.

Quinton de Kock is also among the strongest contenders for the wicket-keeper slot. He has already scored 97 runs against RR in this IPL.