Kolkata Knight Riders  are set to host Punjab Kings  in Match Number 42 of TATA IPL 2024. Coming off a narrow victory over Royal Challengers Bangalore, KKR is well-positioned in second place in the points table and aims to maintain their winning momentum. On the other hand, Punjab Kings are struggling this season, having suffered back-to-back losses and languishing in ninth place on the leaderboard. With their top order failing to make significant scores, Punjab will be eager for a turnaround in fortunes and is desperate for a win to improve their standing.

Punjab's matches have predominantly been close encounters, with seven out of their eight games decided in the dramatic final overs. As the teams prepare to face off, the key question remains: Will KKR continue to dominate, or will Punjab manage to find the much-needed luck to swing the game in their favor? This matchup promises to be an intriguing contest as Punjab seeks to break their losing streak and KKR looks to solidify their top-table position.

Head-To-Head in IPL:

In the 32 games contested between the two teams, KKR has dominated the contest with 21 wins while PBKS has managed to win 11 times.

Front-runners  for the T20 World Cup 2024!
Rinku Singh has been sensational in the recent years in the T20s circuit, coming to the limelight after bashing five sixes against Yas Dayal in the 20th over doing a undoable task to get past KKR over line against the then defending champions Gujarat Titans. Since the start of IPL 2023, Rinku has amassed 1193 in just 38 innings averaging over 62 while striking at 162.09. Though his perfomance in the ongoing IPL is not as expected, he will be the potential contender for the finisher role given his past year performance.

Milestones Alert   :

4 - Venkatesh Iyer (46) needs four sixes to complete 50 sixes in IPL.
5 - Jonny Bairstow (145) needs five fours to complete 150 fours in IPL.
6 - Rinku Singh (44) needs six maximums to complete 50 sixes in IPL.
8 - Sunil Narine (142) needs eight fours to complete 150 fours in the league.
34 - Shreyas Iyer (2966) needs 34 runs to complete 3000 runs in IPL.
83 - Andre Russell (2417) needs 83 runs to get to 2500 IPL runs.

Key Battles To Watxh Out For  :

PITCH REPORT: 

Katey Martin and Deep Dasgupta: "It's scorching at mid-40 degrees which will make it slightly uncomfortable for the players. 66m and 63m are the square boundaries while down the ground is 73m. This is going to play as it has right through the season, it has plenty of pace and bounce on offer, the pitch itself is rock solid, the silt content on this surface is around 70% or more, and in general, it's around 50-60%. There are a lot of patches on a good length area on both ends, the grass is abrasive and the spinners could get some help, especially in the first innings".

TOSS:
has won the toss and have elected to    first

Sam Curran, Skipper: "We will have a bowl. We had four games at home, but unfortunately lost all the matches, The guys are ready for the away games though. We know what we need to do from here, just go out and express ourselves. Liam Livingstone misses out while Jonny Bairstow is back in the side."

Shreyas Iyer, Skipper: "  We've had different players stepping up at different times, that's a pleasing thing this season. Starc got a cut on his finger in the last game so he misses out and Dushmantha Chameera replaces him. Hoping to continue the same form and momentum."