But KKR are out of sync, chasing momentum like a train without wheels. Their first win in IPL 2026 feels farther than ever. They host LSG at Eden Gardens on Thursday, pressure thick as smoke already.
Shami’s 2/9 against Sunrisers was sharp; he took Abhishek Sharma and Travis Head. Both batters wrecked KKR last year. Now conditions favour seam, so Shami might strike again in the top four. That opening push could collapse fast.
Last time they played, they fell to 16/2, then the rain ended it. No stability there. This time, the weather might delay the start, giving them more runs before the break. LSG doesn’t just rely on Shami. Prince Yadav moves fast in the power play. Digvesh Rathi spins quietly but effectively. They’ve crushed two teams early, dropping both to 26/4 in straight power plays.
KKR’s openers – Rahane and Allen – are still flat-footed. They haven’t shared anything real yet. The middle order hasn’t stepped up either. Without balance, their chances stay slim under pressure.
LSG vs KKR – one of the best matchups :
• Rishabh Pant vs Varun Chakravarthy
• Nicholas Pooran vs Sunil Narine
• Mohammad Shami vs Ajinkya Rahane
• Best bowling line-up vs weakest bowling line-up.A blockbuster thriller awaits.🍿🔥 pic.twitter.com/xj7SA2gGOd
— Rupesh Kumar (@drona_17) April 9, 2026
Dream 11 Prediction
Wicket-keepers: Nicholas Pooran, Finn Allen, Rishabh Pant, Angkrish Raghuvanshi
Batters: Mitchell Marsh, Ajinkya Rahane, Rinku Singh
All-rounder: Aiden Markram
Bowlers: Avesh Khan, Mohd Shami, Prince Yadav
Captain : Aiden Markram || Vice Captain : Mohd Shami
Head-to-Head
These two sides have played six games. Lucknow Super Giants have won four games, and Kolkata Knight Riders have two wins under their belts.
KKR vs LSG: Weather Report
Kolkata’s weather will be clear on Thursday evening. There is no sign of rain, with a temperature of around 23°C and 68% humidity.
KKR vs LSG: Pitch Report
Eden Gardens has been a good batting wicket. The boundaries are not big enough, and the bounce in the wicket is good.
But due to the rain of the last few days, the new ball may swing more initially, probably due to moisture. Hence, it can be an advantage to bowl first here.
KKR vs LSG: Predicted XIs:
Kolkata Knight Riders: Ajinkya Rahane (c), Finn Allen, Angkrish Raghuvanshi (wk), Cameron Green, Rovman Powell, Rinku Singh, Ramandeep Singh, Anukul Roy, Navdeep Saini, Vaibhav Arora, Blessing Muzarabani (Impact Player: Kartik Tyagi).
Lucknow Super Giants: Mitchell Marsh, Aiden Markram, Nicholas Pooran, Rishabh Pant (c & wk), Abdul Samad, Mukul Choudhary, Manimaran Siddharth, Avesh Khan, Mohammed Shami, Digvesh Singh Rathi, Prince Yadav. (Impact Player: Ayush Badoni).
