KKR vs PBKS preview, IPL 2023: Wavering Knights, Kings eye crucial points to stay alive in Playoffs race

Both Kolkata Knight Riders and Punjab Kings are staring at a possible elimination and would be looking to collect the points to keep their chances alive.

Punjab Kings under the leadership of Shikhar Dhawan will also be coming out hard as it looks to regain form after losing its previous match against Mumbai Indians. | Photo Credit: DEEPAK KR

Two-time champion Kolkata Knight Riders will be looking to continue its winning run when it takes on Punjab Kings in a virtual battle of survival in an IPL 2023 match at the Eden Gardens in Kolkata on Monday.

Having won a close battle against Sunrisers Hyderabad in the previous outing, KKR will be keen to use it as an inspiration to maintain the momentum at home.

Both sides are staring at a possible elimination and would be looking to collect the points to keep their chances alive. Punjab Kings is in a better situation considering its two-point advantage in the league table leaving the host with the job of catching up. Punjab Kings has 10 points from as many matches and is placed seventh in the table while KKR is situated a rung below with eight points from its 10 outings.

Wins have been an occasional chapter in KKR’s progress so far as the team managed to win two at home and twice as a visitor to slide down to the eighth spot. With just four matches remaining in the league phase, KKR’s coach Chandrakant Pandit will have to find out the right recipe that would help the side find success more consistently.

Punjab Kings under the leadership of Shikhar Dhawan will also be coming out hard as it looks to regain form after losing its previous match against Mumbai Indians.

Squads

Kolkata Knight Riders: Rahmanullah Gurbaz(w), Jason Roy, Venkatesh Iyer, Nitish Rana(c), Andre Russell, Rinku Singh, Sunil Narine, Shardul Thakur, Vaibhav Arora, Harshit Rana, Varun Chakaravarthy, Anukul Roy, Suyash Sharma, N Jagadeesan, Kulwant Khejroliya, Mandeep Singh, Tim Southee, David Wiese, Umesh Yadav, Aarya Desai

Punjab Kings: Prabhsimran Singh, Shikhar Dhawan(c), Matthew Short, Liam Livingstone, Jitesh Sharma(w), Sam Curran, Shahrukh Khan, Harpreet Brar, Rishi Dhawan, Rahul Chahar, Arshdeep Singh, Nathan Ellis, Sikandar Raza, Atharva Taide, Mohit Rathee, Shivam Singh, Kagiso Rabada, Harpreet Singh Bhatia, Bhanuka Rajapaksa, Baltej Singh, Vidhwath Kaverappa, Gurnoor Brar