Is Quinton de Kock playing today's KKR vs PBKS IPL 2025 match?

Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) wicketkeeper batter Quinton de Kock was not recalled to the playing XI for his team's Indian Premier League (IPL) 2025 match against Punjab Kings (PBKS) at Eden Gardens in Kolkata on Saturday, April 26. Additionally, he was not part of the Impact Players list.

The 32-year-old was omitted from the team that lost by 39 runs to Gujarat Titans (GT) on Monday, April 21.

The reigning champions handed a call-up to Afghanistan gloveman Rahmanullah Gurbaz, who took the catch to send back Sai Sudharsan for 52. But he scored just one run with the bat in KKR's pursuit of 199 runs in the second innings against GT.

De Kock has made 143 runs in seven matches in IPL 2025. However, 97 of those runs came in one innings against Rajasthan Royals (RR) at Guwahati on March 26. The southpaw's unbeaten knock helped the defending champions win by eight wickets.

Kolkata Knight Riders look to return to winning ways against Shreyas Iyer-led Punjab Kings

After losing to Gujarat Titans at home on Monday, April 21, KKR head into the match against PBKS in need of a win to keep themselves in the hunt for a Playoff berth. They enter the match in seventh place on the points table with three wins in eight matches.

Ahead of the fixture, all-rounder Moeen Ali was optimistic about KKR making the Playoffs, but admitted they would need a lot of determination to be among the four teams with a chance to win the title.

"Yes, definitely if you look at history, even if you look at Mumbai, for example, now they had a bit of a bad start and now they've won, I think 4 in a row, 5 in a row, and they're flying. So we also need to have that same mindset and do the same thing where we have, we're at the halfway stage now, we have to win most of our games. But it's gonna take a lot of determination, a lot of belief for us to do that, and it's one of those things and competitions where you can go on a run and win 4 or 5 games in a row," Ali said (via India Today).

PBKS will return to action in IPL 2025 after a break of six days on Saturday. The match will mark the return of Shreyas Iyer to the Eden Gardens for the first time since he led KKR to their third IPL title in 2024.

His side come into the match in fifth place on the points table, with 10 points in eight matches. A win against the reigning champions' turf on Saturday, April 26, will help PBKS enter the top four in the points table.