Punjab Kings own the batting powerplay, but bowling still a blind spot

When Punjab Kings step onto the field to face the defending champions Kolkata Knight Riders at Eden Gardens this Saturday in their IPL 2025 clash, the stakes will be high.

More than just a crucial fixture in the playoff race, the match presents an opportunity for Shreyas Iyer’s side to address a glaring imbalance in their powerplay performances, excellence with the bat, but inconsistency with the ball.

Currently placed fifth on the points table with five wins and three losses, Punjab have accumulated 10 points. In contrast, KKR find themselves in a difficult position, languishing at seventh with just three victories from eight outings. As both teams chase vital points, PBKS will be especially focused on fine-tuning their approach during the first six overs of the match.

With the bat, Punjab Kings have been a force to reckon with in the powerplay. The trio of Priyansh Arya, Prabhsimran Singh, and Iyer have spearheaded the aggressive approach at the top, propelling the team to a tournament-best powerplay run rate of 10.67. Priyansh, with 254 runs at a strike rate of 201.58, has been particularly explosive, smashing 24 fours and 18 sixes in eight matches. Prabhsimran, though slightly inconsistent, has provided brisk starts with a strike rate of 168.54, while Iyer has brought stability and class, scoring 263 runs at a strike rate of 185.21. His composed aggression has often anchored the innings and recovered early setbacks.

However, the same impact hasn’t translated to their bowling during the powerplay. Despite their firepower with the bat, Punjab Kings have struggled to make early inroads with the ball. They have managed to claim just 10 wickets across eight matches in the first six overs, the joint-lowest among all teams, alongside Rajasthan Royals. Moreover, they have conceded 430 runs in that phase, including 50 boundaries and 16 sixes, leaking runs at 9.34 per over, the sixth-worst economy in the league.

This contrasting tale of two disciplines during the powerplay remains a critical area for Punjab Kings to address. As they gear up to challenge KKR at Eden Gardens, striking the right balance between aggressive batting and disciplined new-ball bowling could define their trajectory in the business end of the season.

KKR vs PBKS, IPL 2025: Teams

Kolkata Knight Riders Squad: Rahmanullah Gurbaz(w), Sunil Narine, Ajinkya Rahane(c), Venkatesh Iyer, Rinku Singh, Moeen Ali, Andre Russell, Ramandeep Singh, Harshit Rana, Vaibhav Arora, Varun Chakaravarthy, Angkrish Raghuvanshi, Manish Pandey, Anukul Roy, Rovman Powell, Luvnith Sisodia, Quinton de Kock, Anrich Nortje, Spencer Johnson, Chetan Sakariya, Mayank Markande

Punjab Kings Squad: Priyansh Arya, Prabhsimran Singh, Shreyas Iyer(c), Josh Inglis(w), Nehal Wadhera, Shashank Singh, Marcus Stoinis, Marco Jansen, Xavier Bartlett, Arshdeep Singh, Yuzvendra Chahal, Harpreet Brar, Vijaykumar Vyshak, Praveen Dubey, Glenn Maxwell, Suryansh Shedge, Yash Thakur, Aaron Hardie, Azmatullah Omarzai, Kuldeep Sen, Harnoor Singh, Vishnu Vinod, Musheer Khan, Pyla Avinash.

(With ANI inputs)