Kolkata Knight Riders vs Punjab Kings 01/04/2022

Perennial strugglers Punjab Kings, who have benefited greatly from the pre-season mega auction, sent shockwaves through the Indian Premier League by chasing down a mammoth target set by Royal Challengers Bangalore in their first game. It was a clear indication that they can be a new force to be reckoned with. They now face Kolkata Knight Riders at Wankhede Stadium, Mumbai on April 1 (Friday). The match is to begin at 7:30pm IST.

Teams Status

Punjab Kings

If you take the magnifier to both these sides you’d find that they are cut from the same cloth and will quite likely be playing a similar brand of cricket based on aggression and risk taking.

The risks Punjab took in the game against RCB paid off handsomely. Ahead of their second game of the league, they have received a welcome boost in the form of Kagiso Rabada becoming available after completing his mandatory quarantine.

Jonny Bairstow continues to remain unavailable though as he arrived from the Caribbean late.

One man from whom Punjab has high expectations this season is Odean Smith, who some say is the new Andre Russell. The Jamaican allrounder struggled while bowling on his IPL debut and conceded a massive 52 runs in his four overs but atoned for that with an 8-ball 25 in the run chase. If he does go on to become Russell-like then Punjab would have unearthed a gem.

Kolkata Knight Riders

Kolkata Knight Riders are one and one, meaning they won their opening match against Chennai but lost the subsequent one to Bangalore.

Against RCB, they had an off night with the bat where several of their batters got starts but then got out, leaving their bowlers with a paltry 128 to defend.

One cause of concern for Kolkata is the fitness of Russell. The veteran allrounder picked up a knock while fielding in the last game and his shoulder is reportedly sore. If he misses out, perhaps one of Mohammad Nabi or Chamika Karunaratne can replace him.

What Do the Sportsbooks Say?

Brand	Kolkata Knight Riders	Punjab Kings
	2.04	1.78
	2.055	1.765
	2.10	1.74

Punjab Kings were so impressive in their opening game so it’s no wonder they are the favourites for this IPL fixture. Parimatch has Punjab priced at 1.78 and Kolkata at 2.04. Paripesa has Punjab available for 1.765 and Kolkata for 2.055. Lastly, Sportsbet has Punjab priced at 1.74 and Kolkata at 2.10.

Tipster’s Angle

Tip: Punjab Kings to win @ 1.78

It’s clear that on paper Punjab Kings appear the stronger unit. Their batting has lots of power and it runs very deep. Kolkata do also have a decent bunch but their problem is that their batters weren’t truly tested in their Game 1 win and then they collapsed in Game 2 defeat. They have yet to make a convincing case about their proficiency. Until they do, it makes sense to side with Punjab Kings. The odds have been sourced from Parimatch.

Tip: Venkatesh Iyer to score less than 22.5 runs @ 1.87

Kolkata opener Venkatesh Iyer seems to be struggling for runs a bit. Scores of 16 and 10 do not tell the story of a batter that is very comfortable at the moment. We will hit the Under on him. The odds have been sourced from Parimatch.

Conclusion

Punjab have had a torrid time against Kolkata over the years, winning just 10 times and losing on 19 occasions in 29 matches. Now they have finally assembled a team with serious firepower. This is their chance to begin their slow march towards parity.

Zohaib Ahmed

16:19, 1 Apr 2022

Senior Author

Zohaib Ahmed

Senior Author

16:19, 1 Apr 2022

Zohaib Ahmed is a sports journalist whose profession is to report and edit but whose passion is to predict and bet. He’s been in the industry for more than a decade and has worked/written for various bookmakers/tipsters. His expertise is in cricket, football, MMA, boxing and basketball.