Kolkata Knight Riders’ winless start may be further tested by rain threats ahead of their clash with Punjab Kings. Weather alerts indicate possible interruptions, adding to concerns with the April 9 contest against Lucknow Super Giants is also likely to be impacted in IPL 2026.

Notably, last season’s clash between Kolkata Knight Riders and Punjab Kings on April 26 was also washed out, forcing both sides to share points.

After Punjab Kings posted 201/4 under Shreyas Iyer, Kolkata Knight Riders were 7/0 when rain forced an early end.

“There has been continuous cloud cover since the morning due to a low-pressure  extending from Bihar to Manipur, passing through North Bengal, Assam and Bangladesh,” the IMD said.

“The state is expected to experience another spell of Kalbaishakhi storms, with chances of hail and thunderstorms from Sunday to Thursday. Rainfall activity is likely to be most intense on Tuesday and Wednesday,” the IMD added.

“Conditions are likely to worsen on Tuesday, with Kalbaishakhi storms bringing winds of 50–60 kmph, along with lightning and rain across Kolkata and nearby regions.”

Both teams were forced to skip their practice sessions on the eve of the game after heavy afternoon rain, with the Eden Gardens outfield covered and water patches visible.

With rain likely to play a spoilsport, the window to stage a shortened game remains tight. To produce a result, play must get underway by 10:56 pm, which allows for a minimum five-overs-a-side contest. Accordingly, the toss would need to be conducted no later than 10:46 pm. If reduced to a five-over affair, the game is likely to become a high-tempo battle where aggressive strokeplay takes centre stage, leaving little scope for building an innings. If conditions prevent play from starting to the cut-off time, the game will be abandoned, with both teams sharing the points.

It is worth noting that Kolkata Knight Riders had their campaign disrupted by rain last season as well, including a washout in Bengaluru, which impacted their playoff chances and saw them finish eighth overall.