Introduction
The battle between Kolkata and Punjab has been a very lopsided affair in the history of the Indian domestic T20 league. It was pretty neck and neck in the early years but since the start of 2014, it’s been all Kolkata. There have been some exciting games between these two sides but Kolkata has ended up being on the winning side more often than not. Punjab’s inability to get over the line against Kolkata has affected their chances of making it to the top four more than once in the last few years.
Be it at home or away, Kolkata has been dominant against Punjab, winning 18 out of the 27 games that these two sides have played against each other. In fact, since the start of 2014, Punjab has won just four games against Kolkata and in the same period, Kolkata has won 11 games against Punjab.
Kolkata vs Punjab – Head to Head Record in the Indian T20 league
| Matches | Kolkata | Punjab | Tie / NR |
| 28 | 19 | 9 | 0 / 0 |
In the 2020 edition of the Indian T20 league, both sides won one game apiece. Kolkata made a stunning comeback in their defence of 164 in the first game and beat Punjab by two runs despite the latter getting an opening stand of 115 in 14.2 overs. In the second game, Punjab chased down 150 with ease as Mandeep Singh and Chris Gayle scored half-centuries to take their side over the line and level the record for the 2020 season.
Top 3 Performers Comparison and Stats
Kolkata is one of only three teams to win multiple titles in this Indian domestic T20 league. Meanwhile, Punjab is arguably one of the worst-performing sides. Among the active players, the batters from both sides have been on top while the bowlers don’t boast of big numbers.
We look at the best performers from both teams (only active players considered), so you can easily make MPL fantasy Cricket teams when the edition begins next month.
Batsmen (Kolkata):
| Batsmen | Runs v Punjab |
| Dinesh Karthik | 569 |
| Eoin Morgan | 270 |
| Andre Russell | 261 |
Bowlers (Kolkata)
| Bowlers | Wickets v Punjab |
| Sunil Narine | 30 |
| Harbhajan Singh | 22 |
| Andre Russell | 14 |
Batsmen (Punjab)
| Batsmen | Runs v Kolkata |
| Chris Gayle | 700 |
| Mandeep Singh | 394 |
| KL Rahul | 316 |
Bowlers (Punjab)
| Bowlers | Wickets v Kolkata |
| Mohammed Shami | 9 |
| Murugan Ashwin | 4 |
| Ravi Bishnoi | 3 |
Kolkata vs Punjab, Indian T20 League Schedule 2021
Kolkata up against Punjab has been a pretty one-way contest with the former winning more often than not. Punjab’s losses against Kolkata in recent years have cost them heavily as they have been in touching distance of the playoffs but haven’t been able to crack the Kolkata code regularly as they have won just four games against them in the last seven seasons.
In this 2021 season, the two teams will be squaring off in Ahmedabad and Bengaluru as none of the teams will have the luxury of playing at their home venues.
We take a look at the full schedule between Kolkata and Punjab in the Indian T20 league 2021.
| Date | Matches | Venue | Time (IST) |
| Monday, April 26, 2021 | Punjab vs Kolkata | Narendra Modi Stadium, Ahmedabad | 7:30 PM IST |
| Friday, October 1, 2021 | Kolkata vs Punjab | Dubai, UAE | 7:30 PM IST |
Statistics and Facts of Kolkata vs Punjab
Even though the head to head record between Kolkata and Punjab is hugely stacked in favour of the ‘Men in Purple’, there are some very interesting stats and facts that have come out of this rivalry. Thus, here we take a look at some of those stats and records between these two sides:
- Chris Gayle loves batting against Kolkata. Overall, the Universe Boss has smashed 700 runs at an average of 46.66 and a strike-rate of 152.17 against them which includes five fifties and a hundred. 168 runs while striking at 151.35 have come while playing for Punjab. Interestingly, Gayle was a part of the Kolkata camp way back in 2008.
- Sunil Narine has spun a web around Punjab on multiple occasions and he has taken 28 wickets, which is the second-most ever against them in the Indian domestic T20 league. In fact, his best figures in this league have come against Punjab – 5/19.
- Chris Gayle, Mohammad Shami and Eoin Morgan are the two active players who have been with both these sides in this Indian T20 league.
- Punjab have reached the final only once in the history of the Indian T20 league and that was against Kolkata. Despite scoring 199 batting first, Punjab lost the game in the final over and Kolkata became the champions for the second time.
Kolkata vs Punjab: Overall Head to Head Stats in the Indian T20 League
Kolkata has managed to overcome Punjab in every single season that the two teams have squared off. There is not a single season where Kolkata went winless against Punjab. Meanwhile, the latter has not managed to win a single game in a particular season four times against Kolkata. Also, at one point, Kolkata had a winning streak of seven games against Punjab.
Let’s look back at the year by year head to head record between Kolkata and Punjab, which will show how far ahead Kolkata is against Punjab. In 2014, Kolkata played Punjab four times, including the first qualifier and the final and triumphed in both those big games as well.
| Year | Matches | Kolkata | Punjab | Tie / NR |
| 2021 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 / |
| 2020 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 0 / 0 |
| 2019 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 / 0 |
| 2018 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 0 / 0 |
| 2017 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 0 / 0 |
| 2016 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 / 0 |
| 2015 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 / 0 |
| 2014 | 4 | 3 | 1 | 0 / 0 |
| 2013 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 0 / 0 |
| 2012 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 0 / 0 |
| 2011 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 / 0 |
| 2010 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 0 / 0 |
| 2009 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 0 / 0 |
| 2008 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 0 / 0 |
How will Kolkata vs Punjab Stats Help You on MPL?
Knowing the records, statistics, and the records ahead of a game helps you in picking the players that you want in your MPL fantasy team. Read our blog for more information. As you need to pick a minimum of four players from a particular team, you will be well aware of the best choices, especially in one-sided contests like we see between Kolkata and Punjab. Nonetheless, there are a few players from Punjab who have been a constant thorn in the Kolkata side in the last few seasons, and knowing the records will help you pick a more balanced team in the upcoming season when the two sides face-off.
So, download the MPL Pro app now, get accustomed to the fantasy contests and get a chance to win exciting prizes.
