KKR vs PBKS Prediction: Kings can continue perfect start

Monday's Match 12 of the 2026 IPL sees the unbeaten Punjab Kings head to Eden Gardens to take on the struggling Kolkata Knight Riders. 

Last year's beaten finalists have seen off both Gujarat Titans and Chennai Super Kings with something to spare, but it has been harder going for KKR, who have lost to both Mumbai Indians and Sunrisers Hyderabad. The Kings have also won the last two meetings, making it difficult to see past them continuing their perfect start in Monday's meeting. Read on for my KKR vs PBKS predictions.

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For Kolkata, Blessing Muzarabani and Vaibhav Arora have shared seven wickets and are likely to lead the attack again, backed up by Kartik Tyagi. He and spinner Varun Chakaravarthy have both been expensive, the latter currently going at 13 an over.

Kiwi batter Finn Allen will open again for Punjab and he and the likes of Cameron Green, Rinku Singh and Ramandeep Singh all need performances if the Kings are to get off the mark.

KKR vs PBKS Odds

Punjab won their meetings against Kolkata in 2024 and 2025 and are 8/11 to win for a third time in a row on Monday.

KKR are 11/10 to get off the mark for 2026, while both teams can be backed at 10/11 to win the toss - PBKS have won it twice in 2026, electing to field on both occasions.

PBKS to win @ 8/11

Runners-up in 2025, when they topped the standings but lost by six runs to Royal Challengers Bengaluru in the final, the Kings have started 2026 like they mean business.

A three-wicket win over the Titans was followed by Friday's five-wicket success against the Super Kings and their momentum is in stark contrast to that of the Knight Riders.

KKR opened their season with a six-wicket reverse against the Indians before being whacked by 65 runs against the Sunrisers.

The Knight Riders have had a strange few years, finishing runners-up in 2021 and then winning the IPL in 2024. However, they are a real boom-and-bust side, as they are the only two years since 2018 in which they have reached the play-offs.

Punjab were an underperforming outfit before Ricky Ponting took over ahead of the 2025 season and were boosted in the off-season by the signing of new captain Shreyas Iyer.

Iyer led the successful run chase against Chennai, scoring 50 off 29 balls. The 31-year-old is the captain with the best winning percentage in the IPL and the team only look to be heading in one direction with him and Ponting at the helm.

Top Kolkata Knight Riders Batter - Finn Allen @ 3/1

Black Cap Allen hit a 33-ball century at the recent T20 World Cup and will need to get the Knight Riders' innings off to a flying start if they are to have any chance of causing an upset.

Allen made his franchise debut in the defeat to the Sunrisers and smashed 24 runs in the very first over.

The 26-year-old will be instructed to go big in the opening power play and that could help him construct an early tally for his team to build on.

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