Image: KKR and Punjab Kings face off in Match 12 of IPL 2026 / © Outlook India
Eden Gardens is all set for Monday night as the Kolkata Knight Riders play host to the Punjab Kings in the 12th game of this IPL 2026 season. KKR have had a nightmare start with two matches, no wins. But there are a couple of things keeping fans interested. Young Angkrish Raghuvanshi has been the one bright spot. Already 103 runs in two innings, average 51.50, striking at nearly 178. He played with real attitude against Trent Boult, 31 off 17 balls, and stayed not out. The way he finds the gaps and times the ball, it feels like he belongs on the big stage.
Ajinkya Rahane has 75 runs so far as skipper. Nothing flashy but steady. His record in recent IPL games shows 281 runs at around 35 average, that experience matters when the team is under pressure. Rinku Singh does his job in the middle with 68 runs and a strike rate close to 148. Finn Allen at the top has been aggressive, 65 runs at a strike rate of over 270. Bowling has its moments as Blessing Muzarabani picked up 4 wickets in two games. Vaibhav Arora has 3 this season and a decent record of 14 from his previous 10 matches.
Punjab Kings come in feeling much better. They chased down a big total against the Chennai Super Kings and won by 5 wickets. Three wins in their last five games, and that kind of rhythm helps. Their batting looks sorted as Shreyas Iyer has 68 runs in two innings this season. In his last 10 IPL games, he has piled up 384 runs at 48 average. He seems to enjoy facing spin, as his past numbers against Narine-style bowlers show 46 off 38 with just one dismissal.
Prabhsimran Singh has already scored 80 runs. Cooper Connolly has been explosive, with 108 runs at a strike rate of 163.63. Those innings can take the game away quickly. The bowling side has some sting. Vijayakumar Vyshak has taken 5 wickets at just 11.40 average – really impressive. Yuzvendra Chahal has 3 at 16.33. Marco Jansen brings the left-arm option with 10 wickets in his last seven games.
In recent games between these two, Punjab have won three out of the last five. At Eden Gardens, chasing often works better. In twenty T20Is here, the team bowling first has won 11 times. First innings average sits around 163. Dew usually settles in later, which makes batting second easier. The toss might decide a lot.
The weather could play a small part as 40 percent chance of rain, temperatures between 24 and 34 degrees. KKR really needs to click at home. The Eden crowd will back them hard and hope for that first win to stop the slide. Punjab, though look more settled and in form right now. They will want to keep the momentum. Expect some big hitting, tight bowling spells, and the usual twists that come with these night games. Eden Gardens has seen plenty of drama over the years. This one should add to it.