PBKS vs KKR is the second match in the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2023 season. Let’s look at the preview and prediction of the match between Punjab Kings (PBKS) and Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR).
The 2014 IPL runner-up hosts the two-tie champions at IS Bindra Stadium on April 1, Saturday, at 3:30 PM. Both teams would be keen to make a winning start and an exciting clash
awaits both sets of fans and the neutrals.
PBKS is under new captaincy as Shikhar Dhawan has been appointed the skipper after Mayank Agarwal left the franchise. Meanwhile, KKR, too, has announced a new captain. Nitish Rana will lead the Kolkata outfit in the absence of injured Shreyas Iyer.
Team Analysis | PBKS & KKR
PBKS, formerly Kings XI Punjab, has always been a team with great potential. The team has reached the playoffs twice and the IPL final once in 2014 against KKR.
The Kings have a formidable batting lineup led by their captain, Dhawan. The squad has overseas players that boast an impressive lineup of dangerous batters. Sam Curran is the biggest name among overseas players on the team. He was bought for a record fee in the IPL 2023 auction.
Big-hitter Liam Livingstone will likely miss PBKS’ opening match. The Englishman hasn’t received fitness clearance from the England Cricket Board (ECB).
With Kagiso Rabada, who will be unavailable for the match against KKR, and left-arm pacer Arshdeep Singh, PBKS has an excellent pace attack. Rahul Chahar is the lead spinner in the 22-member squad.
PBKS Player List
The entire IPL 2023 squad of PBKS is below:
- Shikhar Dhawan (captain)
- Vidwath Kaverappa
- Shivam Singh
- Shahrukh Khan
- Rishi Dhawan
- Raj Angad Bawa
- Rahul Chahar
- Mohit Rathee
- Atharva Taide
- Arshdeep Singh
- Sikandar Raza
- Sam Curran
- Nathan Ellis
- Liam Livingstone
- Kagiso Rabada
- Matthew Short
- Bhanuka Rajapaksa
- Jitesh Sharma
- Prabhsimran Singh
- Harpreet Brar
- Harpreet Singh Bhatia
- Baltej Dhanda
KKR is a two-time IPL champion, winning the title in 2012 and 2014. The team has a good mix of domestic and international players. However, the franchise must do without Shreyas for the season’s first few games. Bangladesh duo Shakib Al Hasan and Litton Das, too, are unavailable for the opening three matches.
The franchise still has some quality batters and bowlers in their squad. Rana, Andre Russell, Venkatesh Iyer, and Rinku Singh can deliver quality batting performances. At the same time, there is plenty of experience in the bowling department with the likes of Umesh Yadav, Sunil Narine, Tim Southee, Lockie Ferguson, etc.
KKR Player List
Here’s the KKR squad for the upcoming IPL 2023 season.
- Nitish Rana (captain)
- Shreyas Iyer
- Mandeep Singh
- Umesh Yadav
- Venkatesh Iyer
- Rinku Singh
- Narayan Jagadeesan
- Shardul Thakur
- Vaibhav Arora
- Anukul Roy
- Andre Russell
- Rahmanullah Gurbaz
- Varun Chakravarthy
- Suyash Sharma
- Kulwant Khejroliya
- Harshit Rana
- Lockie Ferguson
- Tim Southee
- Litton Das
- David Wiese
- Sunil Narine
- Shakib Al Hasan
Head-to-Head: PBKS vs KKR
The Kings and the Knights have faced each other 30 times in the IPL so far, with the KKR winning 20 matches. The last time these two squads met each other was in IPL 2022, where KKR won by six wickets.
IPL 2022 Stats
- Most Runs Shikhar Dhawan – 460 (PBKS); Shreyas Iyer – 401 (KKR)
- Highest Wickets: Kagiso Rabada – 23 (PBKS); Andre Russell – 17 (KKR)
- Most Sixes: Liam Livingstone – 34 (PBKS); Andre Russell – 32 (KKR)
Final Thoughts on PBKS vs KKR Match
The PBKS vs KKR match in IPL 2023 will be exciting because the two teams are evenly matched. Also, both teams are missing a few of their key players. PBKS could clinch the victory over KKR at home on Saturday.
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