IPL 2025: KKR and Punjab Kings Struggling with Middle Order Batting

Kolkata, India – The Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) and Punjab Kings are having a hard time with their middle-order batsmen in the IPL 2025 season. Both teams have played eight matches, but their middle-order batters have not performed well.

KKR’s average score from their middle-order is just 20.47, while Punjab’s average is slightly better at 23.90, according to ESPNcricinfo.

Here are some key players and their performances so far:
– Angkrish Raghuvansi (Punjab): He has scored 197 runs in 7 innings, with a strike rate of 149.24 and an average of 39.40. His highest score is 50.
– Venkatesh Iyer (KKR): He has scored 135 runs in 8 matches, with a strike rate of 139.17 and an average of 22.50. His best score is 60.
– Rinku Singh (KKR): He has 133 runs in 7 innings, with a strike rate of 146.15 and an average of 33.25.
– Ramandeep Singh (Punjab): Unfortunately, he has only scored 30 runs in 5 innings, averaging about 7.50.
– Andre Russell (KKR): He has scored just 55 runs, averaging 9.16 with 21 as his best score.
– Nehal Wadhera (Punjab): He has scored 189 runs in 7 innings and averages 37.80 with a top score of 62.
– Shashank Singh (Punjab): He has 158 runs in 8 matches, with a best score of 52.
– Marcus Stoinis (Punjab): He has scored only 67 runs in 7 matches, with a strike rate of 152.27.
– Glenn Maxwell (Punjab): He has only managed to score 41 runs in 6 matches.
– Josh Inglis (Punjab): He has 45 runs in 3 matches.

The Kolkata Knight Riders will play against Punjab Kings in match number 44 of IPL 2025 at the Eden Gardens Stadium in Kolkata this Saturday. KKR will be looking to bounce back from two losses and return to winning form. Currently, KKR is placed seventh on the points table with only three wins from eight matches, while Punjab is fifth with five wins. KKR needs to win five out of their last six matches to have a chance at the playoffs, whereas Punjab just needs three wins in their next six matches.

Squads:
– Kolkata Knight Riders: Rahmanullah Gurbaz, Sunil Narine, Ajinkya Rahane, Venkatesh Iyer, Rinku Singh, Moeen Ali, Andre Russell, Ramandeep Singh, Harshit Rana, Vaibhav Arora, Varun Chakaravarthy, Angkrish Raghuvanshi, Manish Pandey, Anukul Roy, Rovman Powell, Luvnith Sisodia, Quinton de Kock, Anrich Nortje, Spencer Johnson, Chetan Sakariya, Mayank Markande.
– Punjab Kings: Priyansh Arya, Prabhsimran Singh, Shreyas Iyer, Josh Inglis, Nehal Wadhera, Shashank Singh, Marcus Stoinis, Marco Jansen, Xavier Bartlett, Arshdeep Singh, Yuzvendra Chahal, Harpreet Brar, Vijaykumar Vyshak, Praveen Dubey, Glenn Maxwell, Suryansh Shedge, Yash Thakur, Aaron Hardie, Azmatullah Omarzai, Kuldeep Sen, Harnoor Singh, Vishnu Vinod, Musheer Khan, Pyla Avinash.