PBKS vs KKR Match Prediction: Who will win today's IPL 2025 match?

Shreyas Iyer has switched teams, but the brand of cricket he wants to play hasn't changed one bit. The Punjab Kings (PBKS) of 2025 are quite similar to the Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) of 2024. The KKR of 2025, meanwhile, appear to be a slight downgrade on their title-winning charge last year.

Both teams bat extremely deep, with emphasis on high intent at the top of the order and sustaining it through the middle overs. They are rife with all-rounders of both kinds, and Shreyas' role in these two approaches cannot be overstated.

In fact, the current PBKS skipper claimed that his team will bat first across conditions to try and make the most of their incredible depth and hitting ability. They did that in Hyderabad, but the SunRisers Hyderabad (SRH) managed to overhaul a mammoth 246-run target with startling ease.

Punjab will want to get back to winning ways when they return to Mullanpur, where they will face KKR on Tuesday, April 15. The Knight Riders are on the back of a thumping win over the Chennai Super Kings (CSK), but what they are searching for is consistency. Having failed to notch up back-to-back wins in the competition so far, the defending champions will be keen on sending a message to their former skipper.

PBKS' squad for IPL 2025: Shreyas Iyer, Shashank Singh, Nehal Wadhera, Harnoor Singh Pannu, Priyansh Arya, Pyla Avinash, Josh Inglis, Vishnu Vinod, Prabhsimran Singh, Glenn Maxwell, Marcus Stoinis, Marco Jansen, Harpreet Brar, Azmatullah Omarzai, Aaron Hardie, Musheer Khan, Suryansh Shedge, Yuzvendra Chahal, Pravin Dubey, Arshdeep Singh, Lockie Ferguson, Yash Thakur, Vijaykumar Vyshak, Kuldeep Sen, Xavier Bartlett.

KKR's squad for IPL 2025: Rinku Singh, Rovman Powell, Angkrish Raghuvanshi, Manish Pandey, Luvnith Sisodia, Ajinkya Rahane (c), Quinton de Kock, Rahmanullah Gurbaz, Venkatesh Iyer, Andre Russell, Sunil Narine, Ramandeep Singh, Anukul Roy, Moeen Ali, Varun Chakaravarthy, Mayank Markande, Harshit Rana, Vaibhav Arora, Anrich Nortje, Spencer Johnson, Chetan Sakariya.

Can PBKS take another step towards turning their disappointing home record around? Or will KKR make them stay in the bottom half of the IPL 2025 points table?

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IPL 2025: Can PBKS bounce back against inconsistent KKR?

2025 IPL - Lucknow Super Giants v Punjab Kings - Source: Getty

Lockie Ferguson will be a massive loss for PBKS, who lack wicket-taking threat in their bowling attack. Yuzvendra Chahal has been far off the pace, as has become the norm in recent times, while the other fast bowlers haven't done enough to give Shreyas regular breakthroughs.

KKR certainly have an edge in the bowling department, with Sunil Narine and Varun Chakaravarthy being major points of difference. PBKS are well behind on that front, having conceded more than 200 in four of their five encounters in IPL 2025.

And in the batting unit, Kolkata arguably have the firepower to do well, even if it hasn't translated into performances so far. Quinton de Kock is due, as are Andre Russell and Ramandeep Singh. Against a struggling bowling attack, they could get to spend some time at the crease.

PBKS' batting might is nothing to scoff at, but KKR might have a slight edge for this one.

Prediction: KKR to win Match 31 of IPL 2025.