When Punjab Kings and Kolkata Knight Riders lock horns in Saturday’s IPL 2025 showdown at Eden Gardens, one glaring similarity will unite them, their fragile and inconsistent middle orders. As the tournament enters a critical phase, both teams find themselves grappling with underwhelming performances from batters positioned between No. 4 and No. 7.

Across their eight matches so far, both sides have struggled to generate meaningful contributions from the middle. KKR’s middle-order batters collectively average 20.47 runs, while PBKS fares slightly better at 23.90, figures that highlight the deep-seated concerns both camps must urgently address.