The Punjab Kings (PBKS) are gearing up for a crucial clash against Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) in Match No. 31 of the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2025, set to take place at the Maharaja Yadavindra Singh International Cricket Stadium in Mullanpur on Tuesday. Both teams are tied at six points, but KKR currently edge ahead in fifth place due to a better net run rate, while Punjab trail just behind in sixth.

Punjab head into this game licking their wounds after a tough loss to Sunrisers Hyderabad. Despite posting a mammoth total of 245, their bowlers couldn’t contain the SRH opening duo of Abhishek Sharma and Travis Head, who pulled off a record chase to hand PBKS an eight-wicket defeat.

Adding to Punjab’s woes, their pace spearhead Lockie Ferguson has been ruled out for the rest of the season due to injury. Bowling coach James Hopes confirmed the development, leaving a significant gap in the side’s attack.

In the wake of Ferguson’s absence, PBKS have two main strategies on the table.

One option is to bring in Afghanistan’s Azmatullah Omarzai into the playing XI. Azmat not only fills the overseas slot vacated by Ferguson but also strengthens the batting lineup in the lower middle order. With his all-round abilities, he offers a dual advantage. Punjab can then utilize Vijaykumar Vyshak as their Impact Player, as he showed promise in earlier matches.

Probable XI with Azmatullah Omarzai:  

Priyansh Arya, Prabhsimran Singh (wk), Shreyas Iyer (c), Marcus Stoinis, Nehal Wadhera, Glenn Maxwell, Shashank Singh, Azmatullah Omarzai, Marco Jansen, Arshdeep Singh, Yuzvendra Chahal  

Impact Player: Vijaykumar Vyshak

Alternatively, PBKS could opt for a straight pace-for-pace swap by fielding Australian speedster Xavier Bartlett, who impressed in the recent BBL season. This move would maintain their team structure, while still allowing room to experiment with Impact Players like Yash Thakur or Vyshak.

Probable XI with Xavier Bartlett:  

Priyansh Arya, Prabhsimran Singh (wk), Shreyas Iyer (c), Marcus Stoinis, Nehal Wadhera, Glenn Maxwell, Shashank Singh, Marco Jansen, Xavier Bartlett, Arshdeep Singh, Yuzvendra Chahal  

Impact Player: Yash Thakur/Vijaykumar Vyshak

With the season entering a crucial phase, PBKS will be desperate to bounce back and solidify their playoff push. Meanwhile, KKR will aim to build momentum and rise further up the table in what promises to be a high-stakes encounter.