IPL match preview: Kolkata Knight Riders v Punjab Kings
The Kolkata Knight Riders are chasing a third Indian Premier League title, while the Punjab Kings still want their first.
Kolkata Knight Riders.The Knight Riders and Kings are both trying to get out of the bottom half of the 2023 IPL's 10-team standings. Neither team have managed to string together much consistency - and have both lost three of their last five matches.
Kolkata, though, will go into this match on the back of victory over the Sunrisers Hyderabad. That win silenced some doubters for now and showed why they have won the IPL twice, but hasn't yet done enough to tell fans they can claim a third title this season.
The Punjab Kings displayed some improvement against the Mumbai Indians recently, even if it was not enough to bring victory. The combination of Liam Livingstone and Jitesh Sharma in the middle order could be another important play for the Kings here.
Livingstone took a while to be fit for Punjab's campaign, but his belated arrival has boosted their hopes of a first IPL title. The return of Shikhar Dhawan to the XI is also promising, after he was sidelined by injury for a few matches.
Punjab and Kolkata have taken it in turns to beat each other in their last five meetings. Punjab have three wins to KKR's two. Their first meeting in 2023 yielded a win for the Kings.
That man Livingstone is a world beater. He is one of the biggest hitters around and could capitalise for the Kings on the shorter boundaries at Eden Gardens.
Varun Chakravarthy's form has been questioned by some pundits, but he remains one of the best slow bowlers on display in the 2023 IPL. His variations in speed and flight are particularly challenging for batsmen who prefer pace coming onto the bat.
Neither team are the obvious outright favourites here, but it's the Kolkata Knight Riders who have fashioned enough recent form to suggest they will win this as well.