Punjab Kings (PBKS) is set to lock horns with Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) in Qualifier 1 of IPL 2025 at Mullanpur on Thursday. For PBKS, this marks a significant return to the playoffs after an 11-year hiatus, having last reached this stage in 2014, when they topped the league but ultimately fell short in the final against Kolkata Knight Riders.
Key Player Battle: Kohli vs. Shreyas
The focus will be on the seasoned skippers and leading run-scorers for their respective sides: Virat Kohli for RCB and Shreyas Iyer for PBKS. Kohli has been in scintillating form, amassing 608 runs at a strike rate of 147.91, while Shreyas isn’t far behind with 514 runs from 14 innings at an impressive 171.90. Both have evolved their game, with Shreyas showing improved prowess against pace and Kohli enhancing his overall attacking intent.
However, the Mullanpur track might favour Kohli. Shreyas has struggled at this venue, scoring a mere 25 runs in four innings this season. Furthermore, his record against several RCB bowlers leaves much to be desired.
Probable Players:
Punjab Kings (probable): Priyansh Arya, Prabhsimran Singh, Josh Inglis (wk), Shreyas Iyer (capt), Nehal Wadhera, Shashank Singh, Marcus Stoinis, Azmatullah Omarzai, Kyle Jamieson, Harpreet Brar, Arshdeep Singh. Impact Sub: Yuzvendra Chahal
Royal Challengers Bengaluru (probable): Virat Kohli, Phil Salt, Mayank Agarwal, Rajat Patidar (capt), Jitesh Sharma (wk), Krunal Pandya, Liam Livingstone, Romario Shepherd, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Yash Dayal, Josh Hazlewood. Impact Sub: Suyash Sharma
Weather and Pitch Report:
Mullanpur has presented a mixed bag of pitches this IPL season. The first two matches witnessed three 200-plus totals, indicating a batting-friendly surface. However, the subsequent two games saw low scores of 111 all out, 95 all out, and 157 for 6, suggesting a shift in conditions. It will be intriguing to see what the Mullanpur pitch offers for this crucial Qualifier 1. The temperature on Thursday is expected to hover around 30°C, with no rain forecast.
Important Statistics:
- Among the ten batters with over 500 runs this season, Shreyas Iyer’s strike rate of 171.90 is second only to Nicholas Pooran’s sensational 196.25.
- Shreyas Iyer faces a stern test against RCB’s bowling attack. Josh Hazlewood has dismissed him three times in just 19 T20 balls while conceding only nine runs. Bhuvneshwar Kumar has also had the better of him three times in the IPL, giving away 45 runs in 50 balls. While Krunal Pandya has dismissed Shreyas only once, the PBKS captain has a surprisingly low strike rate of 85.41 (41 runs in 48 balls) against the left-arm spinner.
- For RCB, Phil Salt will need to be wary of Arshdeep Singh, who has dismissed him four times in 32 balls while conceding only 25 runs.
- Mayank Agarwal’s struggle against Yuzvendra Chahal is evident, with six dismissals for just 72 runs (average 12.00) in the IPL. However, when he does connect, he scores quickly, boasting a strike rate of 160.00 (72 runs in 45 balls, with five sixes) against Chahal.