KKR vs PBKS Prediction & Match Preview – IPL 2026, 12th Match

Kolkata Knight Riders meet Punjab Kings in the 12th match of the 2026 Indian Premier League at Eden Gardens on 6 April, an evening start under lights.

KKR’s squad is led by Ajinkya Rahane and includes Sunil Narine, Rinku Singh, Cameron Green, Finn Allen, Angkrish Raghuvanshi and Ramandeep Singh. Their bowling resources feature Varun Chakaravarthy, Harshit Rana, Vaibhav Arora, Umran Malik and Matheesha Pathirana.

Punjab, captained by Shreyas Iyer, have power at the top through Priyansh Arya and Prabhsimran Singh, backed by Marcus Stoinis, Marco Jansen, Shashank Singh and Mitchell Owen. Arshdeep Singh, Yuzvendra Chahal, Lockie Ferguson and Xavier Bartlett give them plenty of variety with the ball.

With boundaries easy to find and dew likely later on, the side that handles the second innings better may hold the advantage. Our pick is Punjab Kings, though a big contest between two strong batting units is expected.

Pitch report

Eden Gardens is generally a good surface for batting in T20 cricket, with pace and bounce that let stroke-makers play freely. The new ball can swing early, but the pitch eases as the innings goes on. Spinners may grip a little in the middle overs without dominating unless the surface is dry, and a quick outfield rewards well-timed shots. Dew often arrives at night, making the ball slippery and favouring the side batting second. Totals of 170–190 are common and captains frequently choose to bowl first.

Weather

Kolkata should be warm and partly cloudy on 6 April, with temperatures of about 25–27°C as the sun sets. The chance of rain is very low. Humidity is expected to be moderate to high, as is usual at this time of year, with a gentle breeze that should not affect play. A full, uninterrupted evening game is likely.

Expected scores

• 1st innings: 170–190
• 2nd innings: 165–185

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