3 things PBKS need to do right to beat KKR in IPL 2024 clash at Eden Gardens

When the Punjab Kings (PBKS) take on Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) at Eden Gardens on Friday, April 26, it will be the ultimate David and Goliath contest.

The two teams couldn't have had a more contrasting IPL season thus far, with PBKS winning just two out of their eight games, while KKR have been winners in five out of seven matches.

And the minute details make for an even more sorry reading if you are a PBKS fan, with the side losing four on the bounce coming into this contest. As for KKR, they have enjoyed a dominant home run, winning three out of their four games at Eden Gardens.

This will be the first meeting between the sides in IPL 2024 but KKR enjoy a substantial lead of 21-11 in their 32 previous face-offs.

With time running out, PBKS are in a must-win situation to harbor playoff qualification hopes. Yet, dethroning KKR on their home turf will be quite a task that requires PBKS to get several things right.

On that note, let us look at 3 things PBKS must do right to defeat KKR at the Eden Gardens.

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#1 Capitalize on KKR's death-bowling woes

Even as KKR have been on a dominant run in IPL 2024, it hasn't been without a few scares, starting with their season opener against SunRisers Hyderabad (SRH) to the latest outing against Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB).

Despite being way ahead in both matches, KKR barely won by four and one run margins, respectively. Even their lone home loss against Rajasthan Royals (RR) came in a game KKR were cruising towards a comfortable victory.

The common thread in all their games has been their woeful death-bowling, with the legendary Mitchell Starc being the chief reason.

In the opener, SRH needed an improbable 76 off the final four overs yet they nearly got home, scoring 71. After a 16-run over by Andre Russell in the 17th, Varun Chakaravarthy gave away 21 in the following over.

Starc then conceded a dismal 26 of the penultimate over to convert a sure-shot win to a humdinger. Finally, it required a brilliant last over from Harshit Rana for KKR to escape as winners.

Cut to their last two games and the same issue has haunted the side, resulting in their lone home against RR and a narrow one-run win against RCB. From 128/6 in 14 overs, RR scored an unimaginable 96 off the final six overs to steal a last-ball win to stun the Eden Gardens crowd.

The 18 and 19-run overs by Starc and Rana were the culprits this time as Jos Buttler produced one of IPL's most memorable centuries.

Coming to the RCB clash, KKR were defending 21 off the final over but Starc was wayward again and gave away three sixes to Karn Sharma before the hosts hung on for a one-run win.

This is an element PBKS must exploit by having wickets in hand so that their dynamic finishing duo of Shashank Singh and Ashutosh Sharma can wreak havoc in the death overs. While the former boasts a strike rate of 168.10, the latter is striking at almost 190 this season.

This pair has been the lone shining light for PBKS this season, taking the side from improbable situations in numerous run-chases to touching distance of victory. PBKS must ensure they capitalize on KKR's questionable death bowling by allowing the Shashank-Ashutosh duo enough time before going hammer and tongs.

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#2 Remove the dangerous KKR openers early

KKR's batting displays have been largely built by the all-out attack of their openers, Phil Salt and Sunil Narine.

The duo have gone after the bowling from the word go with either one or both coming off to get the team off to rollicking starts. It is why KKR is the second-best in powerplay scoring with an incredible run rate of 10.97, behind only SRH's 12.14.

In their lone lopsided defeat of the tournament against CSK, Salt was dismissed for a first-ball duck, while Narine was held in check with a 20-ball 27. KKR ended up with a paltry 137/9 in the game before losing by seven wickets.

Both Salt and Narine are averaging over 40 and striking at a rate of 169.38 and 176.54, respectively.

If PBKS are to cause an upset at Eden Gardens, removing KKR's destructive opening pair must be at the forefront.

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#3 Top order must step up before KKR's spinners enter the party

If the powerplay during the bowling innings is of utmost importance for PBKS against KKR, then the powerplay of their batting stint ranks a close second.

As the opposite of KKR, PBKS is the worst side in the powerplay with the bat, scoring at a league-lowest 7.83 runs per over. The absence of regular skipper Shikhar Dhawan over the last three games certainly hasn't helped, yet it is inexcusable that Shashank Singh and Ashutosh Sharma batting at Nos. 7 and 8 are their leading scorers this season.

Prabhsimran Singh, Sam Curran, Jonny Bairstow, and Rilee Russouw, batting in the top three, all average under 20 thus far this season. PBKS can ill-afford their customary poor start, especially against KKR, with the presence of the wily spin duo of Narine and Chakaravarthy to choke them in the middle overs.

A change in personnel, batting order, or approach must be implemented to ensure PBKS get off to a fast start before the KKR spin threat enters the fray.