In a thrilling showdown at the Bharat Ratna Shri Atal Bihari Vajpayee Ekana Cricket Stadium, Punjab Kings (PBKS) captain Shreyas Iyer won the toss and opted to bowl first against Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) in Match 13 of the IPL 2025. This decision came on April 1, 2025, as both teams geared up for what promises to be an exciting encounter.
Explaining his choice, Iyer stated, “It’s a new ground, new pitch so we are going to chase. The players have the freedom to express themselves. You have to play the situation and the important goal is to win.” His confidence in the bowling attack was evident as PBKS made a significant change, bringing in New Zealand speedster Lockie Ferguson for his debut, replacing Afghanistan allrounder Azmatullah Omarzai.
Ferguson’s inclusion marks a strategic move for PBKS, as the fast bowler is known for his ability to bowl at high speeds and deliver pinpoint yorkers. He has previously played 45 IPL matches, securing 46 wickets at an average of 31 and a strike rate of 20.76, with an economy rate of 8.96. Notably, Ferguson has a strong record against LSG's explosive batter Nicholas Pooran, having dismissed him four times in just 20 deliveries. This matchup is highly anticipated in the ongoing match.
On the other side, LSG captain Rishabh Pant expressed his satisfaction with batting first, stating, “There are a lot of people who have come to support us; we are definitely going to give our best.” LSG has opted to stick with their unchanged XI, hoping to build on their momentum after a strong performance against Sunrisers Hyderabad in their previous outing.
The match is being played on a red-soil pitch that is expected to offer bounce and assistance to both seamers and spinners. The shorter boundaries of 64 to 77 meters at the Ekana Stadium make it a high-scoring venue, which adds to the excitement of the contest.
Punjab Kings are riding high on confidence after their impressive victory over Gujarat Titans, where they scored a staggering 243 runs. Standout performances from players like Iyer, Priyansh Arya, and Shashank Singh contributed to that success, and they will be looking to replicate their form against LSG.
The playing XI for Punjab Kings features: Priyansh Arya, Prabhsimran Singh (wk), Shreyas Iyer (c), Shashank Singh, Marcus Stoinis, Glenn Maxwell, Suryansh Shedge, Marco Jansen, Lockie Ferguson, Yuzvendra Chahal, and Arshdeep Singh. The team also has impact substitutes including Praveen Dubey, Vijaykumar Vyshak, Nehal Wadhera, Vishnu Vinod, and Harpreet Brar.
Meanwhile, LSG's lineup includes Mitchell Marsh, Aiden Markram, Nicholas Pooran, Rishabh Pant (wk/c), Ayush Badoni, David Miller, Abdul Samad, Digvesh Singh Rathi, Shardul Thakur, Avesh Khan, and Ravi Bishnoi. Their impact substitutes are Prince Yadav, Manimaran Siddharth, Shahbaz Ahmed, Himmat Singh, and Akash Maharaj Singh.
As the match unfolds, all eyes will be on the performance of Lockie Ferguson, who is making his return to competitive cricket after a hamstring injury sidelined him since early February. His ability to hit the deck hard will be crucial for PBKS, especially against a formidable batting lineup that includes the likes of Pooran and Marsh.
With both teams eager to secure a win, the atmosphere is electric, and fans are in for a treat as the IPL 2025 continues to deliver thrilling cricket. The outcome of this match will significantly impact both teams' standings in the tournament, making every ball count.
As the players take their positions and the crowd roars in anticipation, cricket fans around the world are glued to their screens, ready to witness what could be a memorable clash in this year’s IPL.
