KKR vs DC Prediction & Match Preview – IPL 2026 at Eden Gardens

Kolkata Knight Riders welcome Delhi Capitals to Eden Gardens for an IPL 2026 evening game on Sunday 24 May, with a 7:30 pm local start.

KKR, captained by Ajinkya Rahane, have a middle order that includes Rinku Singh, Rovman Powell and Cameron Green, along with Sunil Narine’s all-round ability and Angkrish Raghuvanshi at the top. Varun Chakaravarthy is the main spin threat, and Kartik Tyagi and Anukul Roy support him in the likely XI.

Delhi, led by Axar Patel, are likely to open with KL Rahul and Abishek Porel, with Tristan Stubbs and David Miller expected to provide power lower down. Mitchell Starc and Lungi Ngidi make up a pace attack that could be tested if the Eden Gardens outfield stays quick.

Conditions point towards runs. A flat pitch, short boundaries and probable dew mean teams will back themselves to chase, so winning the toss and bowling first looks the sensible option. Powerplay hitting and clean death bowling are likely to be the deciding phases, and with KKR slightly better equipped for these conditions, we give them the edge.

Probable playing XI

Pitch report

Eden Gardens is generally friendly to batters in T20 cricket, with good pace and bounce and a quick outfield. Seamers can find some swing with the new ball, but the surface eases as the innings goes on. Spinners get a little grip in the middle overs, mainly when the pitch is drier. Dew often matters at night, making the ball slippery and helping the side chasing. Totals of 170–190 are common.

Weather

Very hot and humid weather is expected, with afternoon temperatures around 36–37°C, hazy sunshine and some cloud. No significant rain threat is forecast. The heat will be demanding in the middle overs, light breezes may help a little, and dew could arrive in the evening to assist the chasing team.

Expected scores

• 1st innings: 195–215
• 2nd innings: 185–205

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