Tag: Punjab Kings

The IPL 2025 Team of the Tournament

Posted on By Kabir Khan No Comments on The IPL 2025 Team of the Tournament

IPL 2025 was a tournament like no other. Apart from being disrupted by a war and having a new winner, it had a whole clutch of players making significant impacts across teams. That makes picking a Tournament XI (or XII with an impact player) doubly difficult. For example, who do you pick as an opener when all, Sai Sudharsan, Shubman Gill, Virat Kohli, Phil Salt, Mitchell Marsh, Priyansh Arya, Prabhsimran Singh, Yashasvi Jaiswal, Vaibhav Suryavanshi and Ayush Mhatre make different but compelling cases? Let us solve just that dilemma through this selection. Also Read | IPL 2025: How much prize money champions RCB, Punjab Kings take home? The openers From among the worthy candidates listed above, I have gone for Phil Salt and Sai Sudharsan. It was a wrench leaving Kohli out, especially in a championship-winning season. But Sudharsan as opener was probably the best of the lot, and to complement his stability – and given the batting to follow – I have gone for the more explosive Salt. The middle-order These picks should meet with near-universal acclaim: Jos Buttler, Suryakumar Yadav and Shreyas Iyer. Buttler was easily the best No. 3 in the competition and will be the ideal man to come in regardless of whether there is a set platform or a wicket has fallen early. He will be followed by the best batter in the tournament, Suryakumar Yadav. The run of scores that SKY racked up is still unbelievable. He achieved consistency without sacrificing scoring speed in the most volatile format. Batting one spot below the No. 4 as he had during the latter half of the IPL is Shreyas Iyer, who will also be the team captain. Shreyas had a pretty incredible season with the bat alone, unveiling his revamped white-ball game in its full glory. His leadership of the Punjab Kings (PBKS) was inspirational and astute, and he marshalled a team with several rookies expertly. Also Read | RCB’s IPL 2025: End of an 18-year wait — tracing RCB’s journey to glory The lower middle-order Krunal Pandya is a sure-shot entry. He has had an underrated superstar season, coming to the fore with the ball in almost every match, and doing the job with the bat too when he was required. Krunal had his best-ever wicket-taking season as a bowler, taking 17 wickets overall. While he is slotted into the lower middle-order, he is not someone who can hit out right off the bat. He will be more of a firefighter than a firestarter, so the two men alongside him need to be of the type who can get going fast. Both Jitesh Sharma and Naman Dhir have shown that ability amply this IPL. They are among the best at starting quickly, while also having the ability to finish explosively. Jitesh’s keeping has also been understatedly brilliant, so he will take the gloves ahead of Buttler or Salt (who was great in the outfield anyway). The bowlers Three pace bowlers had standout seasons: Josh Hazlewood, Jasprit Bumrah and Prasidh Krishna. They are all automatic entrants in the Team of the Tournament. Hazlewood was Bangalore’s colossus, incisive whenever he came on, and hard to score off to boot. Prasidh showed impressive control of length, which allied with his natural strengths of pace, bounce, and movement to fetch him the most number of wickets for the season. Also Read | IPL 2025 recap: From Kohli and RCB conquering final frontier to decline of champions As for Bumrah, well, he was Bumrah. A cut above the rest, a genius nonpareil, and a bowler who can seemingly conjure magic on demand. Even when he gave up a 20-run over, he ensured his next three overs went for just 20. A champion if there ever was one. Two left-arm wrist spinners were in contention: Noor Ahmad and Kuldeep Yadav. Noor won because he had to perform for a team where most others were floundering consistently. He often did not have the cushion of runs to play with and inconsistent bowling support. Yet he shone brightly for CSK. Kuldeep was also excellent, but he had a better team around him. The XII: Sai Sudharsan, Phil Salt, Jos Buttler, Suryakumar Yadav, Shreyas Iyer (c), Jitesh Sharma (wk), Naman Dhir, Krunal Pandya, Jasprit Bumrah, Prasidh Krishna, Josh Hazlewood, Noor Ahmad. There are four players from Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB), one from Punjab Kings (PBKS), three from Mumbai Indians (MI), three from Gujarat Titans (GT) and one from Chennai Super Kings (CSK). This XII also satisfies the four overseas player criteria (Salt, Buttler, Halzewood and Noor). None of the bowlers can really bat, but given their own skills and the batting line-up they have, they won’t really need to. So one of them can sit out of the batting XI. Buttler might well be the one to sit out of the bowling XI, since he won’t have the gloves. Source link

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Krunal Pandya spills beans about conversation with brother Hardik after RCBs maiden IPL triumph

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Ahmedabad (Gujarat) [India], May 4 (ANI): Krunal Pandya, who was named Player of the Match in the Indian Premier League (IPL) 18th edition final against Punjab Kings, revealed that he called his brother Hardik after the game and cited that the Pandya household has nine IPL trophies in 11 years. Krunal, who Bengaluru acquired for ₹5.75 crore, unleashed every weapon from his fully-loaded arsenal in the high-stakes final and left the spectators spellbound and returning with figures of 2/17 in his four-over spell. He single-handedly broke the backbone of Punjab’s attempt to hunt down the 191-run target and steered Bengaluru to a six-run triumph and RCB’s first IPL trophy victory. While receiving the Player of the Match award, Krunal spilt the beans about the conversations he had with his brother Hardik and reminded him about the number of IPL titles they have had in the last decade. “When I joined RCB, I said that I loved winning trophies. After three and a half months, glad I was able to fulfil what I said on Day 1. Been pretty good – 10 years, 4 IPL trophies. I also told Hardik on the phone that there will be 9 IPL trophies in the Pandya household in 11 years,” Krunal said in the post-match presentation. In his memorable outing, Krunal returned with the priceless scalps of Prabhsimran Singh (26) and Josh Inglis (39) to derail Punjab’s attempts to chase the target. The trick behind Krunal’s success was deceiving the batters by varying his pace and having the “guts” to execute it because it leaves the bowler with no margin of error. “When we batted in the first innings, I was sitting outside and chatting with the batters. I realised the slower you bowl, the better. But in this format, as a bowler, you need guts to do that because the margin of error is small,” he said. “I just backed myself and thought that if I’m able to vary my pace and keep it more on the slower side, I’ll create chances rather than just coming and firing it in. What has been my biggest strength is learning what the situation requires. I’ve always backed my gut and instinct,” he awith 25 scalps in 15 matches at an average of 19.52, best figures of 4/41. dded. (ANI) Source link

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Ecstatic Kohli revels in first IPL title, albeit below Test highs

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Virat Kohli said on Tuesday he had given his “youth and prime” to land one of the best moments of his career as Royal Challengers Bengaluru secured him a first-ever Indian Premier League T20 title at the 18th time of asking. The 36-year-old Kohli, however, confessed that the six-run win over Punjab Kings in Ahmedabad, sweet as it was, ranked “five levels below Test cricket”. The former India captain, who announced his retirement from Test cricket last month, top-scored with 43 as Bengaluru posted 190-9 in the final. It was not his most fluent innings, but it was vital for RCB as their bowlers then restricted Punjab to 184-7 with a crowd of more than 91,000 erupting in joy for their superstar. A teary-eyed Kohli, who has played in all 18 of RCB’s campaigns including the three previous finals that they lost, dropped to the ground before being hugged by his teammates. “I’ve given this team my youth, my prime, my experience. I gave it everything I have. I never thought this day would come. I was overcome with emotion as soon as the last ball was bowled,” said Kohli before launching into an impassioned defence of the oldest and longest format of the game. “This moment is right up there with the best moments in my career. But it still ranks five levels below Test cricket. That’s how much I value Test cricket. And that’s how much I love Test cricket. “So I would just urge the youngsters coming through… if you want to earn respect in world cricket all over, take up Test cricket, give your heart and soul to it.” Punjab head coach Ricky Ponting said: “I totally understand what he (Kohli) means”. Two-time World Cup winner Kohli has now walked away from two international formats after he gave up T20s following India’s World Cup triumph last year. One of the all-time greats across all formats of the game, Kohli has always been the perfect poster boy of the five-day game with his prolific run-scoring and on-field passion in whites. ‘King Kohli’ ended his Test career with 9,230 runs in 123 matches at an average of 46.85. In the IPL, Kohli joined Bengaluru at the start of lucrative league in 2008 and stuck with them after the disappointment of losing side the finals in 2009, 2011 and 2016. Kohli remained a key player for his team this season with 657 runs including eight half-centuries in 15 innings, often playing the anchor after opening the batting. “Tonight I’ll sleep like a baby,” said Kohli, who hinted that a full retirement may not be far off. “I have an opportunity to play this game for not many years, there’s an end-date to our career. “And by the time I hang up my boots, I want to sit at home and say I gave it everything I had.” Source link

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After IPL 2025 win, Krunal Pandya reveals telephone chat with brother Hardik Pandya | Cricket News

Posted on By Kabir Khan No Comments on After IPL 2025 win, Krunal Pandya reveals telephone chat with brother Hardik Pandya | Cricket News

Krunal Pandya (BCCI/IPL Photo) NEW DELHI: Krunal Pandya delivered a Player of the Match performance to guide Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) to their maiden Indian Premier League (IPL) title at the Narendra Modi Stadium on Tuesday.Picked up by RCB for Rs 5.75 crore in the IPL 2025 mega auction, Krunal brought out his full arsenal, refusing to let Punjab Kings gain control during their chase.His spell of 2 for 17, which included the crucial wickets of Prabhsimran Singh and Josh Inglis, proved to be a game-changer and played a key role in RCB’s six-run victory.Krunal later revealed that he had set his intentions clearly with the franchise during his very first conversation — he was there to win trophies — and he made good on that promise with a match-defining performance.“When we batted, we realised the slower you bowl, the better it is. In this format, you need guts to do it. I just backed myself and thought I’d vary my pace and keep it on the slower side more often. My biggest strength has been to learn what the situation requires. I knew I had to be brave to get wickets tonight. Thought I’d do that by bowling slow. If you’d have bowled quick, it’d have been a good wicket. But if you mixed it up, it was tougher. Pitch actually got easier in the second innings,” said Krunal while collecting the POTM trophy.“Have enjoyed my time with RCB so far. I told them on day one that I like to win trophies. I told Hardik too that the Pandya household will have nine trophies in 11 years,” he added. Krunal now has four IPL titles to his name — three with Mumbai Indians — and Tuesday’s performance marked the second time he has won the Player of the Match award in an IPL final. The first came in 2017, when he scored 47 off 38 balls to help Mumbai Indians defeat the now-defunct Rising Pune Supergiant. Source link

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Akash Ambani’s emotional speech to Mumbai Indians players after IPL 2025 exit – WATCH | Cricket News

Posted on By Kabir Khan No Comments on Akash Ambani’s emotional speech to Mumbai Indians players after IPL 2025 exit – WATCH | Cricket News

NEW DELHI: Mumbai Indians (MI) missed out on reaching the IPL final for the fifth straight season, crashing out after a loss to Punjab Kings (PBKS) in Qualifier 2 on Sunday, June 1. Batting first, the Hardik Pandya-led side posted a solid 203/6. Despite picking up two early wickets in the powerplay, MI couldn’t keep PBKS from staying in the hunt.A brilliant unbeaten knock of 87 off 41 balls from Shreyas Iyer guided PBKS to a successful chase in 19 overs, with five wickets in hand. After the defeat, MI owner Akash Ambani visited the dressing room to speak with the players.“The last thing that I want to leave you with it’s actually one of my dad’s quotes that situations and circumstances like this can either make two choices, right: Becoming a bitter person or becoming a better person. And better person applies to each and everyone individually of what it takes skills wise, mentality wise, team spirit wise,” Akash said.“I am sure as hell and it is certain no one should take whatever is lost bitterly. We should take it better and understand what it takes. What it takes to be a champion of the IPL. Wishing you all the best for the upcoming nine months to be. See you guys soon and thank you for everything.”MI had a rocky start to their IPL 2025 campaign, winning just one of their first five matches. They turned things around mid-season and finished fourth with eight wins from 14 games. IPL 2025 Final, RCB vs Punjab Kings: The wait will finally end in Ahmedabad A chance to finish in the top two slipped away after a final league-stage defeat—again to PBKS, who later ended MI’s playoff run. Prior to that, MI had kept their hopes alive by beating Gujarat Titans in the Eliminator on May 30.Now, PBKS will face RCB in the IPL 2025 final on Tuesday, June 3. Both teams are eyeing their maiden IPL title, having been part of the league since its beginning. Source link

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RCB vs PBKS IPL 2025 finals: Bengaluru restaurants, pubs expecting 3X crowd on Tuesday; how are they preparing for it?

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As Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) are set to face Punjab Kings (PBKS) in the finals of the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2025 on Tuesday (June 3), restaurants and pubs across Bengaluru are bracing for two or three times the usual footfall, driven by a high demand from RCB fans, according to a report by The Hindu. Vinay Chandrashekhar, partner at Long Boat Brewing Co, Marathahalli, told the publication that while a typical Tuesday sees around 350-450 people, he is expecting at least 700 to 800 on June 3. Meanwhile, Alister Braganza, Senior Regional Business Manager, South at Impressario, which owns SOCIAL, said foot traffic at their outlets on Tuesday is anticipated to be three times higher than on a typical weekday. Notably, SOCIAL has many outlets across the city. How are restaurants preparing? Several restaurants have installed giant LED screens for a better viewing experience, introduced new items on the menu, organised several activities and will play Kannada songs to attract customers. With the good performance of RCB, the IPL 2025 season has been a blessing for most restaurants and pubs amid various challenges faced by the industry, including rising beer prices. Most restaurants and pubs are expected to be crowded on the final day, with several cricket enthusiasts already facing difficulties in bookings due to high demand. Customers advised to use public transport Amid the anticipation of a large crowd in restaurants across the city, restaurateurs have advised customers to use public transport. “The city is going to be chock-a-block on that day and hence, we are advising our patrons to not drive but take cabs or public transport. Parking is also going to be an issue if there are too many vehicles,” said Chethan Hegde, head of the Bengaluru chapter of the National Restaurants Association of India (NRAI), told Hindu. IPL 2025 finals The IPL 2025 final match between Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) and Punjab Kings (PBKS) will be held on June 3, 2025, at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad. The match is scheduled to begin at 7:30 pm. The IPL 2025 finals match is a much-anticipated game among cricket enthusiasts as both RCB and PBKS have never lifted the IPL trophy before. Source link

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IPL Qualifier 2 PBK vs MI: Rohit Sharma’s luck runs out, Marcus Stoinis roars in celebration

Posted on By Kabir Khan No Comments on IPL Qualifier 2 PBK vs MI: Rohit Sharma’s luck runs out, Marcus Stoinis roars in celebration

Rohit Sharma’s fortune finally ran out in the IPL 2025 playoffs on Sunday, 1 June. After riding his luck to a match-winning 81 in the Eliminator against Gujarat Titans—capitalising on two dropped catches in Mullanpur—Rohit was dismissed for just eight in Qualifier 2, despite another early life at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad. Rohit fell in the third over, caught in the deep mid-wicket region while attempting to hit Marcus Stoinis out of the attack. Punjab Kings captain Shreyas Iyer surprised many by handing the third over to Stoinis, a part-time medium pacer. The move, however, turned out to be a tactical masterstroke as the Australian all-rounder delivered the breakthrough with his very first over. | IPL Qualifier 2 PBKS vs MI Coverage | It was a short-pitched delivery that begged to be put away, and Rohit obliged—but failed to middle it. Stoinis was visibly ecstatic after claiming the prized wicket. The Australian celebrated in animated fashion, roaring in Rohit’s direction on his follow-through. He was quickly joined by his teammates, who recognised the significance of the early breakthrough. Just two days prior, Rohit had been dropped twice by Gujarat in the Eliminator and went on to score a 50-ball 81 that propelled Mumbai Indians to a commanding total of 228. This time, however, the opener couldn’t ride his luck any further. Shreyas Iyer’s decision to introduce Stoinis early was a calculated risk, given Punjab were missing key pacer Marco Jansen for the playoffs. With only Arshdeep Singh and Kyle Jamieson as frontline seamers, the skipper was forced to explore alternative options—and it paid off handsomely. Despite Rohit’s early dismissal, Mumbai maintained an aggressive approach. Jonny Bairstow and Tilak Varma ensured the momentum didn’t drop, powering MI to 65 runs in the powerplay. Notably, the start of Qualifier 2 between Punjab Kings and Mumbai Indians was delayed by two hours and 15 minutes due to rain. Punjab won the toss and elected to field at 7:00 pm IST, only for the skies to open soon after. Fortunately, the game eventually began at 9:45 pm without any reduction in overs. Published By: Akshay Ramesh Published On: Jun 1, 2025 Tune In Source link

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PBKS hope to reap home advantage despite Kohli in rival camp

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Chandigarh: Like any other team in the Indian Premier League, Punjab Kings should be happy to be playing Qualifier 1 at home in Mullanpur. Local conditions do matter, and though PBKS have two wins and losses each in Mullanpur, the team management will be happy playing here. Punjab Kings, who will face Royal Challengers Bengaluru in Qualifier 1 on Thursday, have reached the IPL playoffs after 11 years. (PTI) Unless of course the Virat Kohli factor comes into play and the Punjab fans come dressed in RCB shirts and cheer for Kohli. PBKS pacer Arshdeep Singh is conscious of that possibility as he appealed to the Punjab fans to support the home team on Thursday. The PBKS-RCB game in Mullanpur last month saw spectators vocally supporting RCB and Virat. Some even jeered a few PBKS players and their families. PBKS have reached the playoffs after 11 years. They will be playing in Mullanpur after 38 days and would want a pitch with extra bounce which their tall fast bowlers can exploit. They have had a great momentum throughout the tournament with the Shreyas Iyer-Ricky Ponting partnership lifting a franchise that had struggled in the last decade. Ponting though says the job is only half done. Speaking to the broadcaster after Monday’s win over Mumbai Indians in the last league game, Ponting said, “We have not achieved anything yet” with the “big games” still to come. “A lot of hard work goes into being able to achieve something like this as a team. It is pretty obvious that this is a really talented team that are all on the same page. It’s a great achievement till now, but really, if you look back, we’ve not achieved anything yet. That’s the one thing I have been saying to the players since the moment we qualified.” Ponting and Shreyas renewed their partnership in PBKS this season having worked together in Delhi Capitals and it has clicked. “The vision for me was always to finish in the top two, and we have got there now. It is a really happy group and we have enjoyed our time in each other’s company for the last ten weeks, but we have got another week to go,” said Ponting with an eye on winning a maiden IPL trophy. This could be the best chance for PBKS considering their performances with domestic cricketers making a mark. Openers Prabhsimran Singh and rookie Priyansh Arya have laid the platform for Iyer and Josh Inglis to build on. Shashank Singh continues to improve as a finisher, while Marcus Stoinis and Nehal Wadhera too have provided batting depth. The bowling has been dealt a blow with the departure of South Africa fast bowler Marco Jansen – he took 16 wickets, complementing Arshdeep (18). Jansen has left for national duty with the Proteas playing Australia in the World Test Championship final from June 11. Leg-spinner Yuzvendra Chahal, who missed the last two games due to a finger injury, is expected to return and team up with the accurate Harpreet Brar. It was Chahal’s four-wicket haul which helped PBKS beat KKR in a low-scoring game in Mullanpur. However, Iyer’s captaincy has provided stability in the team, the India batter delivering after being bought for a whopping ₹26.75 crore. “If you speak to the players individually, Shreyas has spent a lot of time with them. He has pumped them up, given them a pat on the back when they needed it, and given them a kick in the pants when they’ve needed it as well. That is a sign of a good and strong leader,” Ponting said. PBKS has had 16 captains before Iyer took over, and they will hope the man who led KKR to last year’s title will repeat it with them. A defeat won’t be the end of the road. The losers will play in Qualifier 2, against the winner of the Eliminator. RCB come off an impressive final league win on Tuesday against Lucknow Super Giants with Jitesh Sharma finding his touch like the other batters after his brilliant, unbeaten 85 off 33 balls. Source link

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Punjab Kings vs Delhi Capitals LIVE Scorecard, IPL 2025 LIVE Updates: Shreyas Iyer Nears Fifty, Keeps 4-Down PBKS Going vs DC

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Delhi Capitals (Playing XI): Faf du Plessis (c), Sediqullah Atal, Karun Nair, Sameer Rizvi, Tristan Stubbs(w), Ashutosh Sharma, Vipraj Nigam, Kuldeep Yadav, Mohit Sharma, Mustafizur Rahman, Mukesh Kumar Punjab Kings (Playing XI): Prabhsimran Singh, Priyansh Arya, Josh Inglis(w), Shreyas Iyer (c), Nehal Wadhera, Shashank Singh, Marcus Stoinis, Marco Jansen, Azmatullah Omarzai, Harpreet Brar, Arshdeep Singh Source link

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IPL 2025 Match 66: PBKS vs DC – Match Preview, Prediction & Fantasy Insights

Posted on By Ravi Agarwal No Comments on IPL 2025 Match 66: PBKS vs DC – Match Preview, Prediction & Fantasy Insights

PBKS vs DC – The Sawai Mansingh Stadium in Jaipur is set to host Match 66 of the IPL 2025 season, featuring the Punjab Kings (PBKS) against the Delhi Capitals (DC) on Saturday, May 24, at 7:30 PM IST. With PBKS aiming for a top-two finish and DC seeking to end their campaign on a high, this encounter promises to be a thrilling contest. 🏏 Match Overview 📊 Team Standings 🏟️ Pitch Report: Sawai Mansingh Stadium, Jaipur The pitch at the Sawai Mansingh Stadium has been conducive to high-scoring games, with an average first-innings total around 200. Fast bowlers have been more effective here, accounting for approximately 66% of the wickets. Teams winning the toss might prefer to bat first to capitalize on the batting-friendly conditions. 🔍 Head-to-Head Record 🧢 Predicted Playing XIs Punjab Kings (PBKS): Delhi Capitals (DC): 🌟 Players to Watch 🔮 Match Prediction Given the current form and momentum, Punjab Kings are the favorites to win this match. They have a balanced squad with in-form players and are motivated to secure a top-two finish. Delhi Capitals, while out of the playoff race, will aim to end their season on a positive note.

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