KKR vs PBKS, IPL 2026: Match Halted Due to Rain at Eden Gardens; KKR Off to a Poor Start
Kolkata Knight Riders vs Punjab Kings IPL Live Cricket Score: KKR is on the hunt for its first victory, having suffered defeats in both of its opening matches.
KKR vs PBKS, IPL 2026: The 12th match of IPL 2026 is being played today between the Kolkata Knight Riders and the Punjab Kings. The match is taking place at Kolkata's Eden Gardens, where KKR won the toss and elected to bat first. KKR is seeking its maiden win, having faced defeat in both of its opening fixtures. Meanwhile, the Punjab Kings have triumphed in both of their initial matches and have kept their unbeaten streak alive this season. KKR is currently batting.
Match Halted Due to Rain
Batting first, KKR got off to a very poor start. Finn Allen lost his wicket in just the second over, contributing only 8 runs with the bat. Subsequently, Cameron Green was also dismissed after scoring 4 runs. Ajinkya Rahane and Angkrish then attempted to stabilize the innings; however, rain intervened during the fourth over.
Kolkata Knight Riders (Playing XI): Finn Allen, Ajinkya Rahane (Captain), Cameron Green, Angkrish Raghuvanshi, Rovman Powell, Rinku Singh, Ramandeep Singh, Anukul Roy, Navdeep Saini, Vaibhav Arora, Kartik Tyagi.
Punjab Kings (Playing XI): Prabhsimran Singh, Shreyas Iyer (Captain), Cooper Connolly, Nehal Wadhera, Shashank Singh, Marcus Stoinis, Marco Jansen, Xavier Bartlett, Vijaykumar Vyshak, Arshdeep Singh, Yuzvendra Chahal. What the Statistics Say
While Kolkata certainly holds a superior overall record against Punjab, the landscape has shifted since 2023. In their last five encounters, Punjab has emerged victorious in four matches.
Furthermore, even at Eden Gardens, Kolkata has managed to secure a win in only one of their last five completed fixtures.
On the other hand, Punjab Kings have won both of their opening matches. While the team hasn't appeared entirely clinical yet, they have successfully capitalized on key opportunities. Their bowlers have struggled to take early wickets during the Powerplay overs. Arshdeep Singh remains wicketless so far; however, Vijaykumar Vyshak and Yuzvendra Chahal have stepped up to anchor the team during the middle overs.
Pitch and Weather Report
The pitch at Eden Gardens appeared somewhat slow during the first match. The ball was holding up on the surface, which allowed cutters to prove particularly effective.
Due to rain on Sunday, both teams were forced to cancel their outdoor practice sessions. There is a possibility of light rain accompanied by thunder around the scheduled start time of the match on Monday. The ground remained under covers until Sunday evening.
Head-to-Head
In terms of the overall record, the Kolkata Knight Riders hold the upper hand.
* Total Matches: 34
* KKR Won: 21
* PBKS Won: 13
* At Eden Gardens: KKR has won 9 out of 14 matches.
