Three-time champions Kolkata Knight Riders made headlines during the Indian Premier League 2026 auction by securing Australian all-rounder Cameron Green for a staggering ₹25.20 crore, making him the most expensive overseas player in IPL history.
The blockbuster signing underlines the franchise’s intent to rebuild strongly ahead of the 19th edition of the tournament. Having last lifted the trophy in 2024, the Knight Riders are determined to return to their dominant ways after a disappointing campaign in 2025.
In the previous season, KKR struggled to maintain consistency throughout the tournament, managing only five wins and finishing with 12 points, which left them eighth in the points table. The underwhelming performance prompted the management to rethink their strategy and revamp the squad during the auction.
Along with the addition of Cameron Green, the team is expected to rely heavily on its core of experienced players and promising youngsters to regain momentum in Indian Premier League 2026. As the new season approaches, fans will be eager to see how the revamped Kolkata Knight Riders lineup perform.
KKR IPL 2026 Schedule
Considering the regular format of the Indian Premier League, Kolkata Knight Riders will play 14 matches, including 7 away and 7 home matches. However, the upcoming Assembly elections in the state is likely to impact the number of matches the team will play at the iconic Eden Gardens.
Kolkata Knight Riders Schedule for IPL 2026: Match dates and timings
In the first half of the tournament, the Knight Riders are likely to play their home matches at Eden Gardens itself, however, it may be possible that their home matches during the second half of the tournament are shifted to another venue.
Despite this, fans will be guaranteed enough blockbuster cricket throughout the season. While most of the matches will start at 7:30 PM IST, double-header match days might see the Knight Riders taking the ground at 3:30 PM IST.
KKR IPL Schedule 2026: Probable fixtures
Based on BCCI updates and rotational format of Indian Premier League, here’s a probable KKR match IPL 2026 schedule:
| Match | Opponent | Venue | Date | Time |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Match 1 | Mumbai Indians | Wankhede Stadium, Mumbai | 29 March, 2026 | 7:30 PM |
| Match 2 | Delhi Capitals | Eden Gardens, Kolkata | 2 April, 2026 | 7:30 PM |
| Match 3 | Rajasthan Royals | Eden Gardens, Kolkata | 4 April, 2026 | 3:30 PM |
| Match 4 | Gujarat Titans | Narendra Modi Stadium, Ahmedabad | 8 April, 2026 | 7:30 PM |
| Match 5 | Sunrisers Hyderabad | Rajiv Gandhi Stadium, Hyderabad | 12 April, 2026 | 3:30 PM |
| Match 6 | Punjab Kings | PCA Stadium, Mohali | 16 April, 2026 | 7:30 PM |
| Match 7 | Royal Challengers Bengaluru | Eden Gardens, Kolkata | 19 April 2026 | 7:30 PM |
| Match 8 | Chennai Super Kings | Eden Gardens, Kolkata | 22 April, 2026 | 7:30 PM |
| Match 9 | Chennai Super Kings | MA Chidambaram Stadium, Chennai | 24 April, 2026 | 7:30 PM |
| Match 10 | Punjab Kings | Eden Gardens, Kolkata | 27 April, 2026 | 7:30 PM |
| Match 11 | Delhi Capitals | Arun Jaitley Stadium, Delhi | 1 May, 2026 | 7:30 PM |
| Match 12 | Mumbai Indians | Eden Gardens, Kolkata | 3 May, 2026 | 3:30 PM |
| Match 13 | Lucknow Super Giants | Ekana Stadium, Lucknow | 5 May, 2026 | 7:30 PM |
| Match 14 | Lucknow Super Giants | Eden Gardens, Kolkata | 11 May, 2026 | 7:30 PM |
KKR IPL 2026 Squad
- Captain: Ajinkya Rahane
- Batters: Angkrish Raghuvanshi, Rinku Singh, Finn Allen, Tim Seifert, Manish Pandey, Rahul Tripathi, Cameron Green, Tejasvi Singh, Rovman Powell,
- All-rounders: Anukul Roy, Ramandeep Singh, Rachin Ravindra, Daksh Kamra, Sarthak Ranjan
- Bowlers: Vaibhav Arora, Harshit Rana, Varun Chakravarthy, Sunil Narine, Umran Malik, Kartik Tyagi, Akash Deep, Prashant Solanki, Matheesha Pathirana
