The 31st match of the IPL 2025 season features the Punjab Kings (PBKS) hosting the Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) at the Maharaja Yadavindra Singh International Cricket Stadium in Mullanpur on Tuesday, April 15. Both teams are currently tied on points, with KKR placed fifth and PBKS sixth on the points table, making this encounter crucial for their playoff aspirations.
🏏 Match Overview
- Fixture: Punjab Kings vs Kolkata Knight Riders
- Date: Tuesday, April 15, 2025
- Venue: Maharaja Yadavindra Singh International Cricket Stadium, Mullanpur
- Time: 7:30 PM IST
- Live Broadcast: Star Sports Network
- Live Streaming: JioHotstar app and website
🔍 Team Form and News
Punjab Kings (PBKS)
PBKS, led by Shreyas Iyer, are coming off an 8-wicket loss to Sunrisers Hyderabad, where they failed to defend a massive total of 245. The team will be without pacer Lockie Ferguson for the remainder of the tournament due to injury. Azmatullah Omarzai is expected to return to the playing XI in his place. Glenn Maxwell’s form has been under scrutiny, and the team might consider bringing in Xavier Bartlett as a specialist bowler if needed.
Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR)
KKR, under the leadership of Ajinkya Rahane, have shown a balanced performance this season. They might consider replacing Moeen Ali with Spencer Johnson to strengthen their pace attack, depending on the pitch conditions. The team looks settled and will aim to capitalize on PBKS’s recent bowling woes.
🧾 Predicted Playing XIs
Punjab Kings (PBKS)
- Priyansh Arya
- Prabhsimran Singh (wk)
- Shreyas Iyer (c)
- Marcus Stoinis
- Nehal Wadhera
- Glenn Maxwell
- Shashank Singh
- Azmatullah Omarzai
- Marco Jansen
- Arshdeep Singh
- Yuzvendra Chahal
Impact Sub: Vyshak Vijaykumar
Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR)
- Sunil Narine
- Quinton de Kock (wk)
- Ajinkya Rahane (c)
- Angkrish Raghuvanshi
- Venkatesh Iyer
- Rinku Singh
- Andre Russell
- Ramandeep Singh
- Harshit Rana
- Spencer Johnson / Moeen Ali
- Varun Chakaravarthy
Impact Sub: Vaibhav Arora
📊 Key Player Matchups
- Shreyas Iyer vs Andre Russell: In IPL encounters, Iyer has scored 63 runs off Russell but has been dismissed five times, indicating a challenging matchup for the PBKS captain.
- Shreyas Iyer vs Sunil Narine: Iyer has managed 42 runs against Narine in eight IPL innings, getting out once, suggesting a relatively balanced contest.
- Glenn Maxwell vs Andre Russell: Maxwell has scored 26 runs off Russell without being dismissed in six IPL innings, indicating a favorable matchup for the Australian all-rounder.
🏟️ Pitch and Weather Report
The pitch at Mullanpur has been conducive to high-scoring games, with teams preferring to chase. The weather forecast predicts clear skies, ensuring an uninterrupted match.
📈 Head-to-Head Record
- Total Matches: 33
- PBKS Wins: 12
- KKR Wins: 21
KKR holds a significant advantage in head-to-head encounters, which could boost their confidence going into this match.
🧠 Fantasy Cricket Tips
Top Picks for PBKS:
- Shreyas Iyer: Consistent performer and team captain.
- Arshdeep Singh: Key bowler, especially in death overs.
- Marcus Stoinis: Provides all-round capabilities.
Top Picks for KKR:
- Sunil Narine: Offers value with both bat and ball.
- Venkatesh Iyer: In-form batter with the ability to anchor innings.
- Varun Chakaravarthy: Wicket-taking spinner in the middle overs.
🔮 Match Prediction
Given KKR’s superior head-to-head record and balanced squad, they might have a slight edge over PBKS. However, with home advantage and a strong batting lineup, PBKS cannot be underestimated. It’s expected to be a closely contested match.