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The Indian Premier League continues with an intriguing set of fixtures.
Find out more via these IPL predictions.
We’re in for some cracking clashes.
Kolkata Knight Riders v Rajasthan Royals
Key talking points
KKR
KKR enters this contest in survival mode, having just suffered a 5-wicket defeat to the Gujarat Titans on Friday. Despite record investments, their batting unit, particularly Finn Allen and Cameron Green, has failed to fire.
KKR have failed to secure a single victory in their first six matches for the first time in their 19-year history. They must win all eight remaining games to have a mathematical chance at the playoffs. It really is make or break time for them.
RR
The Rajasthan Royals sit comfortably in third place on the table with four wins from five matches.
Their batting is spearheaded by the prolific Yashasvi Jaiswal and 15-year-old prodigy Vaibhav Suryavanshi, who has taken the league by storm with a strike rate exceeding 240.
Their bowling remains elite; Ravi Bishnoi and Jofra Archer have consistently stifled opposition in the middle and death overs respectively.
Remarkably, RR remains the only team this season to have successfully defended a sub-160 total twice, showcasing their defensive bowling depth.
Venue: Eden Gardens, Kolkata
Chasing is the clear preference at Eden Gardens. Historically, the ground has a strong bias toward teams batting second.
Out of 103 IPL matches played here, the chasing side has won 58 times (56 percent), compared to 43 wins for the team batting first.
The average first-innings score at Eden Gardens stands at approximately 167 runs. However, recent seasons have seen a massive surge, with the team batting first often needing at least 185-plus to be competitive.
Former KKR captain Gautam Gambhir remains the all-time leading run-scorer at this venue with 1,407 runs.
Sunil Narine is the undisputed master of this turf, having taken 73 IPL wickets here—the most by any bowler at a single venue in the league’s history.
In April 2024, Eden Gardens witnessed the highest successful run chase in T20 history when the Punjab Kings chased down a target of 262/2 against KKR.
Conversely, the ground also holds the record for one of the lowest team totals in IPL history. In 2017, the Royal Challengers Bengaluru were famously bundled out for just 49 runs by KKR.
The stadium is known for its high boundary count. In 2026, it has consistently recorded an average of roughly 17 sixes per match, making it one of the most explosive venues for power hitters this season.
Weather
Expect intense heat in Kolkata this Sunday afternoon, with temperatures reaching a maximum of 37 degrees accompanied by high humidity.
Skies will be mainly clear with no chance of rain, though some thundery development is possible in the wider region later in the day. A light southerly breeze will offer minimal relief from the oppressive conditions in India.
Form
- KKR: L, L, L, NR, L.
- RR: L, W, W, W, W.
Predicted line-ups
KKR
Finn Allen, Ajinkya Rahane, Anukul Roy, Rinku Singh, Cameron Green, Angkrish Raghuvanshi, Sunil Narine, Ramandeep Singh, Varun Chakaravarthy, Umran Malik, Blessing Muzarabani.
RR
Yashasvi Jaiswal, Vaibhav Suryavanshi, Riyan Parag, Dhruv Jurel, Shimron Hetmyer, Ravindra Jadeja, Donovan Ferreira, Jofra Archer, Ravi Bishnoi, Sandeep Sharma, Nandre Burger.
Key players
Rinku Singh
Rinku remains the heartbeat of KKR’s middle order, especially with the side desperate for their first win of 2026.
While his current season strike rate of 120.00 is below his peak, he thrives under pressure at this venue, famously striking five consecutive sixes here in 2023.
As the team’s newly appointed vice-captain, his ability to salvage a collapse or provide explosive cameos in the final overs is vital to reviving KKR’s flailing campaign.
Donavan Ferreira
The South African “finisher” has emerged as a game-changer for the Royals since his return to the franchise. He is in scintillating form, coming off a maiden IPL fifty, a brilliant 69 off 44 balls, against Sunrisers Hyderabad just days ago.
Ferreira’s rare versatility as a power-hitter, handy off-spinner, and occasional wicketkeeper provides RR with elite tactical flexibility. His strike rate of 148.94 this season makes him a terrifying prospect at the death.
Prediction: Rajasthan Royals
While KKR has the home advantage at Eden Gardens, their winless streak and disjointed powerplay bowling are massive liabilities.
The Royals boast superior momentum and a more balanced XI, particularly with the explosive form of Yashasvi Jaiswal and the clinical finishing of Donovan Ferreira.
Expect the Royals’ bowling depth to stifle KKR’s struggling middle order under pressure. While RR are a happy and settled unit, KKR still don’t appear to know what their best XI is.
Also read: Biggest IPL blowouts ever – the most dominant wins in history
Punjab Kings v Lucknow Super Giants
Key talking points
PBKS
The Kings enter this fixture in imperious form, sitting at the top of the table after a dominant win over Mumbai Indians.
Captain Shreyas Iyer is the standout performer, boasting 137 runs at a strike rate of 187.67, while Yuzvendra Chahal remains a middle-overs menace.
PBKS have cruised through the 2026 IPL largely untroubled, chasing down scores of 195 and 219 in their last two outings with relative ease.
LSG
LSG are struggling for form and confidence, having lost three of their first five matches.
While Mitchell Marsh has provided some resistance at the top, the form of Nicholas Pooran, who is averaging just 8.4 this season, is a major concern.
Interestingly, despite their recent slumps, LSG still holds the record for the highest-ever total in this fixture (257/5), a fact they will hope inspires a turnaround on Sunday night.
Venue: Maharaja Yadavindra Singh International Cricket Stadium, New Chandigarh
Winning the toss is statistically huge at this venue. In its short IPL history, roughly 69% of matches have been won by the captain who won the toss.
In terms of setting or chasing a score the ground is incredibly balanced. Out of 13 matches, the side batting second has a slight edge with 7 wins to 6.
The average first innings score at the ground is approximately 172 runs.
The venue record for a team total is 228/5, set by the Mumbai Indians against the Gujarat Titans in May 2025.
Local star Shashank Singh leads the charts with 222 runs at this stadium. He is closely followed by fellow PBKS batter Prabhsimran Singh with 211 runs.
The Kings’ pace spearhead Arshdeep Singh thrives on the New Chandigarh bounce, holding the venue record for the most scalps with 12 wickets.
Priyansh Arya holds the record for the highest individual score here, smashing 103 off 42 balls against CSK in April 2025.
Weather
Conditions in New Chandigarh will be warm and overcast on Sunday evening, with temperatures lingering around 28 degrees following a daytime high of 38.
Humidity is low at around 15 percent, making the air feel relatively dry despite the cloud cover. There is a small chance of isolated thunderstorms developing late in the evening, accompanied by light winds.
Form
- PBKS: W, W, NR, W, W.
- LSG: L, L, W, W, L.
Predicted line-ups
PBKS
Priyansh Arya, Prabhsimran Singh, Shreyas Iyer, Nehal Wadhera, Cooper Connolly, Marcus Stoinis, Shashank Singh, Marco Jansen, Harpreet Brar, Arshdeep Singh, Yuzvendra Chahal.
LSG
Aiden Markram, Mitchell Marsh, Mukul Choudhary, Rishabh Pant, Nicholas Pooran, Ayush Badoni, Abdul Samad, Shahbaz Ahmed, Mayank Yadav, Avesh Khan, Mohammed Shami.
Key players
Shreyas Iyer
As the captain and batting anchor of PBKS, Iyer has been the driving force behind Punjab’s rise to the top of the table. His ability to manipulate the field and dominate spin during the middle overs is crucial at the New Chandigarh stadium.
Currently boasting a strike rate of over 180, he provides the tactical stability that allows Punjab’s aggressive hitters to flourish. If Iyer settles in, he typically guides PBKS to match-winning totals.
Rishabh Pant
Pant remains the “X-factor” for his struggling Lucknow side. Following a minor injury scare, his return to full fitness is a massive boost for LSG’s middle order.
Known for his unorthodox stroke play and ability to dismantle world-class bowling, Pant is the primary candidate to counter Punjab’s spin threat of Yuzvendra Chahal.
His aggressive intent is vital for LSG if they are to overhaul a high target on this batting-friendly surface.
Prediction: Punjab Kings
PBKS are currently the most balanced side in the competition, enjoying a prolific run of form that has taken them to the top of the table.
With Shreyas Iyer anchoring a fearless batting line-up and Arshdeep Singh the master of local conditions, they should prove too clinical for a struggling Lucknow side who have too many stars lacking form.
Gujarat Titans v Mumbai Indians
Key talking points
GT
The Titans enter this fixture with a mixed record of three wins and two losses from five games, placing them mid-table.
Captain Shubman Gill remains their cornerstone, recently bolstered by the arrival of South African sensation Connor Esterhuizen to replace the departed Tom Banton.
Form-wise, the top order has been dominant, with Gill and Sai Sudharsan frequently providing platforms. The Titans rely notably on their top three, who historically score over 75% of the team’s runs.
MI
Mumbai Indians are currently struggling near the bottom of the standings with one win and four losses. A significant blow to their campaign is the hamstring injury to Rohit Sharma, who is expected to miss this clash.
Despite the losses, MI’s batting remains explosive; Ryan Rickelton and Quinton de Kock have both notched high individual scores this season.
Interestingly, MI’s spinners, led by Mitchell Santner, took the most wickets in the middle overs last season, a trend they are desperate to replicate to arrest their current slide.
Venue: Narendra Modi Stadium, Ahmedabad
The venue is remarkably balanced between setting and chasing, with a 51 percent win rate for teams batting first (23 wins) and 49% for chasing sides (22 wins) across a total of 45 IPL matches.
While the historical average first-innings score is around 178 runs, the 2025 season saw this rise to an average of 219 runs, marking it out as a very high-scoring venue.
The Undisputed King of Ahmedabad is Shubman Gill who dominates the venue with 1,109 runs in 23 innings, including three centuries.
GT’s Mohit Sharma leads the list of the top IPL wicket takers at the ground with 29 scalps, including a venue-best 5/10 against MI in 2023.
The highest team total at this stadium is 243/5, set by the Punjab Kings against the Gujarat Titans in March 2025.
Conversely, the ground saw a record-low score for a home team, with GT dismissed for just 89 runs by the Delhi Capitals in April 2024.
Despite the balanced historical win record, the heavy evening dew often leads captains to prefer bowling first in night games to aid the chase.
Weather
Monday evening in Ahmedabad will be notably hot and mainly clear. After a searing daytime maximum of 39 degrees, the temperature will slowly settle toward 30 by the evening.
No rain is expected, and the relative humidity will be low at approximately 30 percent. Light winds will persist, providing little cooling effect after the sun sets over the parched landscape.
Form
- GT: W, W, W, L, L.
- MI: L, L, L, L, W.
Predicted line-ups
GT
Shubman Gill, Sai Sudharsan, Connor Esterhuizen, Glenn Phillips, Shahrukh Khan, Washington Sundar, Rahul Tewatia, Rashid Khan, Kagiso Rabada, Mohammed Siraj, Prasidh Krishna.
MI
Quinton de Kock, Ryan Rickelton, Suryakumar Yadav, Tilak Varma, Hardik Pandya, Sherfane Rutherford, Mitchell Santner, Jasprit Bumrah, Trent Boult, Deepak Chahar, Mayank Markande.
Key players
Glenn Phillips
Phillips has become the Titans’ versatile “X-factor” in the middle order. Known for his freakish athletic ability and 360-degree stroke play, he is essential for maintaining momentum during the middle overs against Mumbai’s spin.
His ability to double as a reliable wicketkeeper and a handy off spinner gives GT immense tactical flexibility.
He hasn’t scored many runs this season, but he looked good in taking the Titans to the brink of victory last time out as he was dismissed with the win in sight.
Quinton de Kock
With Rohit Sharma sidelined, the pressure is squarely on the veteran South African to anchor the innings.
De Kock made his first appearance of IPL 2026 in the previous game, and even though MI ultimately lost, it was not for lack of runs from QDK.
The veteran South African, who opened with compatriot Ryan Rickelton made an undefeated 112 from 60 balls. De Kock averages 31.67 in IPL with three centuries to his credit.
Prediction: Gujarat Titans
Playing at home in Ahmedabad gives them a significant edge, especially with Shubman Gill’s incredible scoring record at this venue.
While Mumbai possesses explosive individual talent, the absence of Rohit Sharma leaves a void in their leadership and top-order stability.
GT’s superior bowling balance, led by Rashid Khan, should successfully exploit MI’s current middle-order inconsistency. A big concern for MI is their key strike bowler Jasprit Bumrah who has yet to take a single wicket this season.
Read next: The 7 exciting teenage prodigies set to light up IPL 2026
The post IPL predictions: KKR in survival mode, Mumbai Indians still struggling appeared first on Cricket365.
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