The second match in the 2026 Indian Premier League season pits pre-tournament favourites the Mumbai Indians against Kolkata Knight Riders.
MI are five-time winners of the competition, and reached the play-offs in 2025 – but were eventually eliminated by Punjab Kings.
The iconic Wankhede Stadium in downtown Mumbai hosts Sunday’s contest, and if matches at the ground from the recent T20 World Cup are anything to go by, expect runs aplenty!
Check out our full cricket betting preview for this fixture below, and we have picked out some tips based on NetBet Sport’s latest IPL odds.
Where can I watch Mumbai Indians vs Kolkata Knight Riders in the UK
Mumbai Indians vs Kolkata Knight Riders will be broadcast live on Sky Sports Cricket, with the match scheduled to start at 3pm UK time.
Mumbai Indians vs Kolkata Knight Riders Preview
Predicted XIs
Harshit Rana, Akash Deep and Matheesha Pathirana are three high-profile absentees for KKR, significantly weakening their seam department ahead of the tournament’s start.
MI look good on the injury front, so should be able to field their strongest XI at the Wankhede.
MI Predicted XI: Rohit Sharma, Ryan Rickelton (wk), Tilak Varma, Suryakumar Yadav, Hardik Pandya (captain), Naman Dhir, Will Jacks, Mitchell Santner, Deepak Charhar, Jasprit Bumrah, Trent Boult.
KKR Predicted XI: Finn Allen, Ajinkya Rahane (captain), Cameron Green, Angkrish Raghuvanshi (wk), Rinku Singh, Sunil Narine, Ramandeep Singh, Blessing Muzarabani, Vaibhav Arora, Varun Chakravarthy, Kartik Tyagi.
Head-to-head record
These two world-famous franchises have met 35 times previously in the IPL – and it is a rivalry which MI have dominated with 24 wins to KKR’s 11.
Furthermore, MI have won 10 of the 12 matches hosted at the Wankhede, which is quite an ominous stat for the Kolkata-based team.
Mumbai Indians vs Kolkata Knight Riders Odds
*All odds are subject to change
Mumbai Indians are huge favourites for the win here, priced as low as 1.50. A rare victory for Kolkata Knight Riders at Wankhede is at odds of 2.40.
Mumbai Indians vs Kolkata Knight Riders Betting Tips
Mumbai Indians top bowler – Jasprit Bumrah @ 3.10
The greatest bowler in the history of the T20 format, need we say anymore? Bumrah is MI’s trump card in all conditions, and his ability to bamboozle batsmen – tailenders in particular – during the death overs makes him a wicket-taking machine. Tipping him to do the most damage with the ball just always feels like a great move.
Kolkata Knight Riders top batter – Finn Allen @ 4.00
Allen comes off the back of a fabulous T20 World Cup campaign with New Zealand, in which he scored the tournament’s fastest-ever century – off just 33 balls vs South Africa in the semi-finals! The fearless opening batter was also exceptional in the recent Big Bash League season, smashing the most runs (466) to help guide Perth Scorchers to the title. KKR have got a serious talent on their hands here, and we are backing Allen to star on his debut for the franchise – and indeed the IPL as a whole!
When you choose NetBet Sport, you can enjoy a whole range of top-quality sports and markets. Whatever you choose, always remember to bet responsibly. Here at NetBet, player wellbeing is our number one priority – check out our Responsible Gambling tips and tools page for more information. When the fun stops, stop.
