Kolkata Knight Riders Opt to Bat First Against Punjab Kings in IPL Clash

In an exciting IPL 2023 match, Kolkata Knight Riders have chosen to bat first against Punjab Kings at Eden Gardens. KKR's captain Ajinkya Rahane announced two forced changes due to injuries, while Punjab Kings will maintain their original lineup. This match promises to be a thrilling encounter as both teams aim for victory. Stay tuned for more updates on player performances and match highlights.

By Narendra Chaudhary Apr 6, 2026, 20:33 IST

Match Overview

In the 12th match of the ongoing Indian Premier League (IPL), the Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR), who have clinched the championship title three times, won the toss and chose to bat first against the Punjab Kings (PBKS). This exciting match is taking place at the renowned Eden Gardens in Kolkata on Monday.

KKR's Lineup Changes

Following the toss, KKR captain Ajinkya Rahane announced that they had to make two forced changes to their lineup. Varun Chakaravarthy sustained an injury while attempting to catch the ball in the previous match. Rahane stated, "We are opting to bat first. The pitch appears to be in good condition, slightly drier, but overall very playable with less grass cover. Confidence and belief are key; we need to seize those crucial moments. We are optimistic. We have made two changes due to injuries: Varun Chakaravarthy is out, and Narine is also unavailable. Powell and Saini will be stepping in."

Punjab Kings Maintain Their Squad

Punjab Kings' captain Shreyas Iyer confirmed that they are sticking with the same playing XI. He remarked, "I was also supposed to bowl, so I’m pleased with the decision made. My chemistry with Ponting has developed since our days at Delhi Capitals. He empowers the younger players and serves as a great inspiration. We are fielding the same team today."

Team Lineups

Punjab Kings (Playing XI)

Prabhsimran Singh (w), Shreyas Iyer (c), Cooper Connolly, Nehal Wadhera, Shashank Singh, Marcus Stoinis, Marco Jansen, Xavier Bartlett, Vijaykumar Vyshak, Arshdeep Singh, Yuzvendra Chahal.

Punjab Kings Impact Substitutes

Priyansh Arya, Suryansh Shedge, Vishnu Vinod, Pravin Dubey, Harpreet Brar.

Kolkata Knight Riders (Playing XI)

Finn Allen, Ajinkya Rahane (c), Cameron Green, Angkrish Raghuvanshi (w), Rovman Powell, Rinku Singh, Ramandeep Singh, Anukul Roy, Navdeep Saini, Vaibhav Arora, Kartik Tyagi.

Kolkata Knight Riders Impact Substitutes

Blessing Muzarabani, Manish Pandey, Tejasvi Singh, Rahul Tripathi, Saurabh Dubey.