Kolkata Knight Riders will take on Lucknow Super Giants in the 21st match of the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2025. Both teams are coming off impressive wins and will be keen to carry forward their momentum.

KKR defeated Sunrisers Hyderabad in their previous match. Batting first, they posted a commanding total and followed it up with a stellar bowling performance to secure a convincing 80-run victory.

Meanwhile, LSG outclassed Mumbai Indians in a high-scoring thriller. After setting a 200+ target, their bowlers held their nerves in the second innings to register a 12-run win. With both teams in good form, fans can expect a thrilling contest.

Pitch & Weather Conditions 

The two matches played in Kolkata so far have offered excellent batting conditions, and a similar surface is expected this time as well. While pacers might get some assistance with the new ball early on, the pitch is likely to flatten out, making it a batting-friendly track as the game progresses.

The team winning the toss may prefer to bowl first, with a total of around 180 expected to be a competitive score.

Weather-wise, the temperature is forecast to hover around 34°C with a chance of scattered thunderstorms, which could play a role later in the game.

Players You Should Include in your Eleven 

Ajinkya Rahane (KKR):

Ajinkya Rahane has scored 352 runs at an average of 22 and a strike rate of 128.93 in 17 innings in Kolkata. He also has two fifties at the venue. His last five scores: 38, 11, 18, 56, 37.

Venkatesh Iyer (KKR):

Venkatesh Iyer has 452 runs at an average of 28.25 and a strike rate of 146.27 in 19 innings in Kolkata, including two fifties. Iyer Vs. Shardul Thakur in T20s: 32 runs off 14 balls, average 16, strike rate 228.57, dismissed twice. His previous five scores: 60, 3, 6, 17, 38*.

Varun Chakravarthy (KKR):

Varun Chakravarthy has picked up 28 wickets at an average of 21.35 and a strike rate of 14.71 in 18 innings in Kolkata, including a four-wicket haul. Varun Vs RHBs in IPL since 2024: 21 wickets, average 18.52, economy 7.99. Against LHBs in IPL since 2024: 6 wickets, average 17.83, economy 6.55. Varun’s  five figures: 3/22, 0/12, 2/17, 1/43, 2/25.

Shardul Thakur (LSG):

Shardul Thakur has 7 wickets at an average of 20.85 and a strike rate of 14.57 in seven innings in Kolkata. Thakur  Vs RHBs 8 wickets, average 35.75, economy 9.69 and Vs LHBs in IPL since 2024: 5 wickets, average 31, economy 10.22 in IPL since 2024. His last five figures: 1/40, 0/39, 4/34, 2/19, 2/41.

Captain & Vice Captain Picks 

Sunil Narine (KKR)
Sunil Narine is among the top captaincy choices for this clash due to his all-round value.
He has scored 610 runs at an average of 17.42 and a strike rate of 163.97 in 37 innings in Kolkata. With the ball, he has claimed 72 wickets at an average of 20.19 and a strike rate of 19 across 60 innings at the venue.

Since IPL 2024, Narine has picked up 12 wickets against right-handers (average 30.33, economy 7.11) and 7 wickets against left-handers (average 13.28, economy 6.27).
Last five bowling figures: 1/30, 0/32, 1/27, 1/34, 0/22.

Nicholas Pooran (LSG)
Nicholas Pooran has been exceptional in Kolkata, scoring 287 runs in just five innings at an average of 57.40 and a strike rate of 148.70, including four half-centuries. His last five scores: 12, 44, 70, 75, 42.

Nicholas Pooran is currently the leading run-scorer of the tournament and in sublime touch. We can expect a batting masterclass from the West Indies star.

Mitchell Marsh 

Mitchell Marsh has been a standout performer for LSG despite not bowling due to a back injury. The Australian all-rounder has let his bat do the talking, amassing 184 runs in just four innings, including three half-centuries. Known for his aggressive intent, Marsh is expected to go after the bowlers from the very first ball, and we’re backing him to deliver another explosive knock today.

Players We Are Tempted To Pick 

Rishabh Pant, Digvesh Rathi, Vaibhav Arora, and Angkrish Raghuvanshi are four players we’re strongly considering for today’s game.

While Rishabh Pant has struggled for form recently, his match-winning potential makes him a tempting pick — he could very well be the X-factor tonight.

Digvesh Rathi and Vaibhav Arora have shown a knack for picking up crucial wickets and are expected to continue that trend in this match.

Meanwhile, Angkrish Raghuvanshi has arguably been KKR’s best batter this IPL season, and we’re backing him to maintain his impressive run of form.