PBKS vs CSK Preview: Chennai set to clash with soaring Punjab

Match 22 of the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2025 will see Punjab Kings taking on Chennai Super Kings on Tuesday, April 8 at the Maharaja Yadavindra Singh International Cricket Stadium, Mullanpur, Chandigarh.

Punjab began the season on a positive note, recording wins over Gujarat Titans and Lucknow Super Giants. Though their unbeaten run was recently broken by the Rajasthan Royals at home, the Shreyas Iyer-led side will put the loss behind and come into this game with confidence and intent. The New Chandigarh pitch could play right into PBKS’ strengths, who have so far fielded the right combination on the field.

On the other hand, CSK’s campaign has been surprisingly disappointing. After an opening win against the Mumbai Indians, Ruturaj Gaikwad’s side has suffered three successive defeats, each while chasing. Concerns about team combination, inconsistent middle-order performances, and reliance on MS Dhoni have put them far from being on the winning end. However, CSK leads the head-to-head record with a 17-14 margin, but PBKS have won four of the last five encounters.

Pitch Report

The pitch at Mullanpur provides a fair contest between bat and ball. With a breeze blowing and minimal dew expected due to the wind, conditions will be constant throughout the 40 overs. The surface is expected to have a bit of grass and be consistent from start to finish. The wicket is similar to that of last season.

In IPL 2025, the first match here saw Rajasthan Royals post 205/4, eventually beating Punjab by 50 runs. With an average first-innings score of 174, both batting first and chasing have had equal success.

Probable XIs

Punjab Kings

Prabhsimran Singh(w), Shreyas Iyer(c), Marcus Stoinis, Nehal Wadhera, Glenn Maxwell, Shashank Singh, Suryansh Shedge, Marco Jansen, Arshdeep Singh, Lockie Ferguson, Yuzvendra Chahal

Impact Player: Vaibhav Arora

Chennai Super Kings

Rachin Ravindra, Devon Conway, Ruturaj Gaikwad(c), Vijay Shankar, Ravindra Jadeja, MS Dhoni(w), Ravichandran Ashwin, Noor Ahmad, Mukesh Choudhary, Khaleel Ahmed, Matheesha Pathirana

Impact Player: Shivam Dube