KKR vs DC Prediction & Match Preview – IPL 2026 at Eden Gardens
Match summary
Kolkata Knight Riders host Delhi Capitals at Eden Gardens in IPL 2026. Likely XIs, pitch and weather report, expected scores and our pick.
Match details
| Match | Kolkata Knight Riders vs Delhi Capitals, League Match |
|---|---|
| Series | Indian Premier League 2026 |
| Date | 24 May 2026 |
| Start time | 2:00 pm GMT / 7:30 pm local |
| Venue | Eden Gardens, Kolkata |
| Status | Played |
| Our pick | Kolkata Knight Riders |
| Toss pick | Kolkata Knight Riders |
Matches in this series
Match preview
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.
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.
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
| Innings | Predicted | Actual |
|---|---|---|
| First innings | 195–215 | – |
| Second innings | 185–205 | – |
Kolkata Knight Riders
Home advantage at Eden Gardens and a balanced side built around Narine, Rinku Singh and Varun Chakaravarthy make KKR our narrow pick.
Toss pick: Kolkata Knight Riders
FAQ
Who is our pick for KKR vs DC?
Kolkata Knight Riders, narrowly, thanks to home conditions and a well-rounded line-up.
Will dew affect the game?
Heavy dew is possible in the second innings at Eden Gardens, which would reduce grip for bowlers and help the chasing side.
What is a par score here?
Our preview expects around 195–215 in the first innings, with short boundaries encouraging big hitting at the death.
Probable XIs
Expected line-ups from our preview. c = captain, wk = wicketkeeper.
Kolkata Knight Riders
- Ajinkya Rahanec
- Angkrish Raghuvanshiwk
- Cameron Green
- Rovman Powell
- Manish Pandey
- Rinku Singh
- Sunil Narine
- Anukul Roy
- Kartik Tyagi
- Varun Chakaravarthy
- Saurabh Dubey
Delhi Capitals
- KL Rahulwk
- Abishek Porel
- Sahil Parakh
- Tristan Stubbs
- David Miller
- Axar Patelc
- Madhav Tiwari
- Tripurana Vijay
- Lungi Ngidi
- Mitchell Starc
- Mukesh Kumar
Head-to-head
Earlier meetings of Kolkata Knight Riders and Delhi Capitals that we covered.