Kolkata Knight Riders vs Punjab Kings, 53rd Match, IPL 2023: Head-to-Head and other key stats

Kolkata Knight Riders will lock horns with the Punjab Kings in the 53rd match of the Indian Premier League 2023 at the Eden Gardens. The Knight Riders started the season with a loss against Punjab Kings in their last encounter this season where the DLS method played a part. They bounced back by defeating RCB and GT in their next couple of games. However, they were swept away by the opponents in three consecutive matches. KKR management has been changing their openers constantly which has been a major problem. Venkatesh Iyer has blown hot and cold through the season, he scored a century and followed it up a couple of failures. Jason Roy and Rahmanullah Gurbaz opened the batting in the last game and they could well continue with the same pair at the top of the order. Rinku Singh has looked in great touch and will look to continue with the form.

On the other hand, Punjab Kings got a brilliant start to their Indian Premier League 2023 campaign, recording two successive wins in their first two games. They defeated Kolkata Knight Riders by a narrow seven-run margin (DLS), the Kings played well against Rajasthan Royals but incurred a five-run defeat in a high-scoring affair in Guwahati. Dhawan has been their inform player and has got the bulk of the runs. Jitesh Sharma has looked phenomenal and will look to continue with his good form. Sam Curran led the team in the absence of Shikar Dhawan, who returned to the side and led the team. We are entering the crucial phase of this season and every win here will hold a lot of importance. Liam Livingstone and Sikandar Raza have played some vital knocks for the team and should retain their spot in the team for this mouth-watering encounter.

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Head-to-Head

Total Matches – 31

Kolkata Knight Riders – 20

Punjab Kings – 11

Form Guide

Kolkata Knight Riders: W L W L L

Punjab Kings: L W L W L

Pitch

The pitch at the Eden Gardens in Kolkata has traditionally been well-balanced, offering something for both the batters and the bowlers. The ball might do a little bit for the fast bowlers in the initial stages of the match as well, but it will get easier to bat as the match progresses. The batters need to get their eye in before going for the aggressive shots, they can take advantage of the short boundaries at this venue. The captain winning the toss would be inclined to bowl first at this venue and chase the score down in the second innings with some dew expected.

Match Details:

Kolkata Knight Riders vs Punjab Kings, 53rd Match

Venue: Eden Gardens, Kolkata

Date & Time: 8th May, at 7:30 PM IST

FACTS

STATS – T20I