Home Articles KKR vs PBKS IPL 2021 prediction: Who will win Kolkata Knight Riders...
KEY STORY
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In-form Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) take on Punjab Kings (PBKS) in the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2021 match on Friday. Since the beginning of the UAE leg of the campaign, the Knight Riders have been on a roll, winning three of their four matches to keep their playoffs qualification hopes in their own hands.
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For Punjab Kings, the defeat against Mumbai Indians dealt a huge blow to their hopes of a top-four finish. With three matches to go in their remaining league stage of the campaign, Punjab don’t just need to win all of their remaining matches but also hope for some other results to fall in their favour. However, a defeat against the Knight Riders today would guarantee them another season in the bottom half of the table.
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KKR still have their campaign in their own hands. With 10 points in 11 games, Eoin Morgan & Co. need to win the remaining three matches in order to secure a spot in the playoffs. Two matches in three could also be enough for them considering the healthy Net Run Rate they have at the moment.
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Going into the match against the Kings, the Knight Riders are oozing with confidence having beaten the mighty Delhi Capitals in their previous match, and would be hopeful of keeping their qualification hopes on track with another win against PBKS.
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In terms of the head-to-head battle, KKR have a solid 19-9 domination over PBKS. When the two sides had met in the reverse fixture back in India, the Knight Riders had secured an easy win.
CONCLUSION
Kolkata did well in the absence of Andre Russell last time around and against Punjab too, the West Indian all-rounder is unlikely to feature. In his place, it was New Zealand pacer Tim Southee who made his KKR debut, producing figures of 29 for 1 in four overs. The Kiwi paceman is likely to be entrusted with the responsibility again against the Kings.
Chris Gayle has left the PBKS squad due to bio-bubble fatigue. His absence could be an issue to the franchise considering Nicholas Pooran has also been off form in this campaign.
Match Prediction: The Knight Riders are one of the most in-form sides in IPL 2021 at the moment. Stopping them might not be possible for PBKS today, especially in the absence of Chris Gayle.
