April 26, 2025: As Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) and Punjab Kings (PBKS) gear up for their IPL 2025 face-off at Eden Gardens, both teams share a common weakness: underperforming middle orders.
Despite explosive starts from their top three, the Nos. 4 to 7 slots have been a headache. KKR’s middle order averages just 20.47, while PBKS fares only slightly better with 23.90, according to ESPNcricinfo. The lack of consistency and impactful finishes has often left both sides vulnerable, especially during tight chases or recovery scenarios.
For KKR, Angkrish Raghuvanshi has been a bright spot, scoring 197 runs at a strike rate of 149.24. However, big names like Andre Russell (55 runs at 119.56 SR) and Ramandeep Singh (30 runs in 5 innings) have disappointed. Rinku Singh has shown glimpses of form with 133 runs, while Venkatesh Iyer’s 135 runs at a strike rate of 139.17 haven’t provided the impact KKR would have hoped for.
PBKS’s woes mirror those of their rivals. Nehal Wadhera (189 runs) and Shashank Singh (158 runs) have shown promise, but Marcus Stoinis (67 runs), Josh Inglis (45 runs), and Glenn Maxwell (41 runs at 100 SR) have been far from their best. Maxwell’s form, in particular, has been a talking point with a meagre average of 8.20.
With KKR sitting at seventh and needing five wins out of six to stay in the playoff race, their middle order must step up. PBKS, more comfortably placed at fifth, will still look to fine-tune their engine room as they aim to seal qualification with three more wins.