After fifty-plus games, IPL 2025 has already eliminated two teams and one more is close to being knocked out. PBKS and LSG, currently ranked fourth and sixth, are both vying for a spot in the playoffs and will be focused on improving their standings come Sunday.
After emerging victorious against the Chennai Super Kings in their last game, a perspiring Shreyas Iyer made an appearance at the post-match presentation in the sweltering city of Chennai. However, as PBKS moves on to their second home ground in Dharamsala, there is a glimmer of hope for relief from the scorching weather. This particular venue also served as the location for PBKS’ pre-season training camp, where head coach Ricky Ponting emphasized the significance of familiarizing oneself with the ground early on. With their next three matches taking place in Dharamsala, PBKS has a chance to secure a top-two finish by winning all three games.
The trio of Prabhsimran Singh, Priyansh Arya, and Shreyas make up the Indian core of the team and have been the main contributors so far. However, their strong performance has highlighted the weakness in the middle order, which has the second-lowest strike-rate compared to other teams this season. Additionally, there has been a constant rotation of players in the No. 4 position with five different individuals playing in ten games.
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LSG is facing a comparable issue. Their team structure is imbalanced, with a reliance on foreign batters being their distinguishing factor. Specifically, the trio of Mitchell Marsh, Aiden Markram, and Nicholas Pooran have accounted for 62.79% of their total runs in this season. In the recent game against the Delhi Capitals, captain Rishabh Pant moved down to No.7 but has returned to his usual spot at No. 4 without finding his form yet.
LSG is currently facing a critical situation, as a defeat would put them at a disadvantage in the race. This is due to a noticeable four-point difference between them and the top three teams. Furthermore, they have experienced defeat in three out of their last four matches, which also coincided with Pooran’s decrease in performance. However, their spirits may be rejuvenated for this upcoming game after an extended break of six days. Additionally, some of their players have arrived early to Dharamsala in hopes of turning things around.
The pressing inquiry at hand
Following their victory in Chennai, Ponting hinted that PBKS could potentially make adjustments to their lineup based on the conditions in Dharamsala. In the event of swing and seam movement, the possibility of a recall for Xavier Bartlett may arise.
In the limelight: Yuzvendra Chahal and Nicholas Pooran
Yuzvendra Chahal’s performance in this IPL has been a tale of two halves. Despite starting off with only two wickets in his first five matches and an economy rate of 11.1, he has managed to turn it around in the last four games. During this time, he has taken 11 wickets at an economy rate of 7.6. In the previous match, Chahal was initially held back after bowling two overs within the first ten overs against CSK’s heavily left-handed team. However, he was later brought back for the crucial 19th over where he claimed four wickets, including a hat-trick, crushing CSK’s chances of reaching a formidable total of 200+. As we face LSG next, it is important to highlight that Chahal will play a crucial role as he has previously dismissed Pooran twice in seven innings and Pant thrice in 13 innings at a striking rate below 145.
Following a blazing beginning to the season, during which he produced four fifties in six games, Nicholas Pooran’s recent performances have been relatively average. Throughout the season, he has displayed exceptional prowess against spin, maintaining a strike-rate of 264, while his fellow team-mates have struggled with a combined strike-rate of just 127. However, in his last four games, Pooran has fallen victim to fast bowlers on three occasions – twice by deliveries angled in and once by Mitchell Starc’s slower short ball. The outcome of LSG’s playoff aspirations rests heavily on Pooran’s form, as it has been a determinant factor in the team’s success thus far.
The latest updates on the team and their expected starting lineups.
Due to an injury, Glenn Maxwell will not be able to play for the rest of IPL 2025. As a result, PBKS only had three overseas players – Marco Jansen, Azmat Omarzai, and Josh Inglis – in their match against CSK. To fill the gap, they included the uncapped Suryansh Shedge in their team instead of Marcus Stoinis. Unfortunately, Shedge gave away 40 runs in his three overs and only managed to score 1 run off 3 balls during the chase. If the conditions are suitable for swing bowling, PBKS may consider bringing back Bartlett, who excels with the new ball.
The expected lineup for PBKS includes Priyansh Arya, Prabhsimran Singh, Shreyas Iyer as captain, Nehal Wadhera, Shashank Singh, Josh Inglis as wicketkeeper, Marco Jansen, Suryansh Shedge, Azmatullah Omarzai, Harpreet Brar or Xavier Bartlett, Yuzvendra Chahal, and Arshdeep Singh.
Mayank Yadav, the fast bowler for LSG, made his comeback against Mumbai Indians after a lengthy injury hiatus, replacing Shardul Thakur. He returned to the game with a lesser pace, delivering eight slower balls at Wankhede Stadium – his highest in any T20 match – and ended up with figures of 2 for 40. Zaheer Khan, the mentor of LSG, mentioned that they will consider Mayank’s workload going forward, but also noted that the extended rest period between games will benefit him.
Probable XII for LSG: Aiden Markram, Mitchell Marsh, Nicholas Pooran, Rishabh Pant (captain and wicketkeeper), Ayush Badoni, David Miller, Abdul Samad, Mayank Yadav, Ravi Bishnoi, Digvesh Rathi, Avesh Khan, and Prince Yadav.
Important statistics
Arshdeep Singh could play a crucial role against LSG’s opening batsmen, having successfully dismissed Aiden Markram in four out of their 13 previous encounters and removing Marsh twice in four meetings.
Since 2023, PBKS has been unable to secure a win in any of the four matches they have played in Dharamsala.
Despite his fluctuating performance, Shreyas is eager to make his comeback in Dharamsala, a location where he achieved scores of 73* and 74* in his previous two matches in 2022.
The current state of the pitch and conditions should be taken into consideration.
The last four IPL games in Dharamsala since 2023 have seen an average first-innings score of 201, with teams choosing to bowl first each time. However, only one team has managed to win the match. The weather forecast predicts light showers during the day, but a cooler evening temperature of approximately 16 degrees Celsius.
