KKR vs PBKS Prediction: Who will win today's IPL 2021 match?

As the race for the final playoff spots in the 2021 Indian Premier League (IPL) heats up, the Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) and the Punjab Kings (PBKS) face off in Match 45 on October 1 in Dubai in an encounter that will have major implications for the tournament.

With four wins in 11 games, PBKS cannot afford to lose this one. Not only would they be four points behind KKR, who'd then be very close to sealing fourth spot, but that would give the Rajasthan Royals the chance to leapfrog them in the points table. Meanwhile, Eoin Morgan's men could take a massive step towards playoff qualification by beating one of their rivals in the race.

KKR have been one of the teams to watch out for in IPL 2021's UAE leg. With three wins in four games, their only loss being a last-ball defeat to table toppers Chennai Super Kings, the two-time champions are in a rich vein of form. In their previous game, they overcame the Delhi Capitals by three wickets despite being without star all-rounder Andre Russell.

PBKS, on the other hand, have been expectedly inconsistent. As always, they've struggled to find the right combination and have dropped three of their four games in the second phase of IPL 2021. A win over bottom-placed Sunrisers Hyderabad remains their only notable performance in the UAE, with their previous game against the Mumbai Indians ending in a demoralizing defeat.

The first meeting between the two sides in IPL 2021 ended in a comprehensive KKR win. After restricting PBKS to just 123/9 on the back of excellent bowling displays from Prasidh Krishna and Sunil Narine, Morgan's unbeaten 47 took them home in the chase with five wickets and 20 balls to spare.

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IPL 2021: Captains under the pump as playoff race heats up

KL Rahul has come up with some bizarre statements as PBKS captain

KL Rahul has come up with some truly bizarre statements as PBKS captain. After claiming that strike rate doesn't matter last year, the 29-year-old recently came out and stated that winning or losing isn't in the team's hands.

The claim was a perfect depiction of how PBKS' season has been, with the leadership group failing to step up and instill the right mindset among the players. While Rahul has still piled on a fair amount of runs, his strike rate has been slightly underwhelming. And his captaincy has been distinctly subpar.

Ravi Bishnoi has looked like PBKS' biggest threat with the ball, but the young leg-spinner hasn't played all of the team's games. The middle order has been subpar as well, with Chris Gayle and Nicholas Pooran failing to come good. Gayle has left the IPL bio-bubble to prepare for the T20 World Cup, and how PBKS replace their overseas star remains to be seen.

Aiden Markram has been a bright spot for the Anil Kumble-coached side, apart from Arshdeep Singh and Mohammed Shami. But complete performances have eluded PBKS so far, and with the IPL 2021 season winding down, they desperately need to turn in one.

Meanwhile, KKR will look to sustain their momentum, although they have a captaincy situation of their own to attend to. Eoin Morgan is in a dismal run of form and made matters worse for himself by engaging in an ugly altercation with Ravichandran Ashwin in the previous game. The KKR skipper has received calls to drop himself from the team, and that might be the only course of action if he doesn't come good soon.

Venkatesh Iyer and Rahul Tripathi's aggressive approach at the top of the order has yielded rich dividends for KKR, who have had notable contributions from Lockie Ferguson, Sunil Narine and Varun Chakravarthy. Ferguson didn't complete his quota of overs in the previous IPL 2021 game, but he should be fit to play against PBKS.

KKR might consider replacing Sandeep Warrier with a younger Indian pacer, with Shivam Mavi and Kamlesh Nagarkoti among those who deserve a go in the playing XI. Prasidh Krishna has had terrible moments in IPL 2021, but even he seems like a better option than Warrier right now.

Despite their concerns, KKR appear to be the more well-rounded outfit. PBKS have not only lost Gayle but are also in a poor run of form, and they don't seem to have the personnel to inspire a turnaround. Unless KKR suffer more setbacks due to injury, they should be able to put it across their 2014 IPL final opponents.

Prediction: KKR to win Match 45 of IPL 2021