Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) faced Punjab Kings without key spinners Sunil Narine and Varun Chakaravarthy due to fitness issues. KKR's captain Ajinkya Rahane announced that Chakaravarthy injured his finger while taking a catch in a previous match, while Narine was unwell. The match was ultimately called off due to rain after just 3.4 overs of KKR's innings. However, KKR provided a positive update on both players, stating that Narine has been training with the squad and contributing with bat and ball, while Chakaravarthy has also returned to training and completed his bowling workload. Despite their absence, KKR did not feel the impact significantly during the rain-affected match. The team is yet to finalize whether Narine and Chakaravarthy will play in their upcoming match against Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) at Eden Gardens. Chakaravarthy has struggled in his recent performances, failing to take wickets and conceding runs at a high rate.