Tata IPL 2025 is going on in full swing with increasingly thrilling matches. Today, the match no.31 will be no different. It is the clash between 2 great Mumbai captains, Shreyas Iyyer (PBKS) vs Ajinkya Rahane (KKR). It means that Iyyer will be playing against his ex-team, and he will surely try to make KKR realise what they have lost in the mega auction.
It is the battle between the 5th and 6th in the points table. This match will be hosted in the Maharaja Yadavindra Singh International Cricket Stadium or also known as Mullanpur Stadium, Chandigarh. If we go head-to-head between these teams, KKR has completely dominated over PBKS with 21 wins in 33 matches.
Punjab Kings matches against KKR and RCB are scheduled back to back; these matches will decide the fate of the team going forward in the tournament. PBKS will be looking to bounce back after losing the last match against Hyderabad, all thanks to Abhishek Sharma. PBKS are very good in batting this year, but their bowling seems to be a weakness for them in the past few matches. Yuzvendra Chahal is turning out to be very weak as his economy rate is just over 11, Marco Jansen is struggling, Arshdeep is also getting bashed early on in the innings, and Lockie Ferguson is ruled out indefinitely. This creates a concern in the PBKS camp.
KKR, on the other hand, looks like a balanced team and has won every alternate match they played. They must be high on morale coming into this encounter, as they defeated CSK in the last match quite easily. KKR spinners are in great form and can damage the PBKS batting line-up. The biggest challenge for KKR spinners is Shreyas Iyyer, who is a complete beast in front of spinners. KKR's weakness lies in their fast bowling; their fast bowlers have not yet delivered as expected, especially Harshit Rana.
Pitch Report:
The Mullanpur pitch played a bit slow last year, but the pitch this year looks evenly balanced for both bowlers and batters. The pitch does have some dry patches in between, and that's what makes it different from other Indian pitches. The square boundary is 69m, and the straight boundary is 74m. Bowlers bowling good length consistently may find success on pitches like this. The average score on this ground is around 170, but I guess it will not be enough today.
Predictions
- It will be an even contest between the bat and the ball, so expecting a thrilling encounter today.
- First innings predicted score is 190-210.
- The chasing team may find it easy as there will be a lot of dew on the surface.
- Marco Jansen or Arshdeep Singh, anyone of them can find their form in today's match.
- Bartlett can get a chance in the playing 11 in place of injured Ferguson
- Shreyas Iyyer is expected to go big in this match.
- PBKS to win the match (still, it depends on the toss).
One thing can be guaranteed for sure, and that is a tough fight from both teams. The league is in the halfway stage, and players are now gearing up to make their team reach the playoffs. Expecting a high-scoring thriller today.
About the Author
Advait Kadam is a sports writer at Vygr Media, specializing in cricket coverage and match analysis. With a background in Sports Management and a passion for storytelling, he brings sharp insights and fresh perspectives to every game.
With inputs from agencies
Image Source: Multiple agencies
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