3 things PBKS need to do right to beat MI in IPL 2025 match ft. Harpreet Brar

Punjab Kings (PBKS) and Mumbai Indians (MI) will face in their respective final league match of IPL 2025. The contest will be played at the Sawai Mansingh Stadium in Jaipur on Monday, May 26.

PBKS have won eight matches and, with four defeats, have 17 points from 13 games. They lost their previous match against Delhi Capitals (DC). On the other hand, MI have won eight games as well and, with five defeats, have 17 points from 13 matches. They also played Delhi in their last game and won by 59 runs.

Both teams have made it to the playoffs but face off in a vital clash with an aim to finish in the top two and carry momentum heading into the playoffs. This will be their first encounter this season.

With MI coming off a thumping win over Delhi, it will be challenging for Punjab to beat them in this game. However, Shreyas Iyer and his men have also played good cricket this season. That said, here are three things PBKS need to do right to beat MI in their IPL 2025 match.

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#3 PBKS need another overseas pacer to come in

2025 IPL - Punjab Kings v Lucknow Super Giants - Source: Getty

PBKS posted 206/8 batting first in their last match against Delhi. However, they failed to defend the total, with DC winning by six wickets. Their lead pacer, Arshdeep Singh, was decent, giving away only 35 runs in his four overs. However, he failed to pick up a wicket. Azmatullah Omarzai returned with figures of 0/46 from four overs, while Marco Jansen returned with figures of 1/41 from four overs.

Punjab have been dependent on Arshdeep, who has bagged 16 wickets from 13 games at an average of 24.12 at an economy rate of 8.70, this season. Marcus Stoinis, the medium pacer, bowled 1.3 overs in the last game and gave away 21 runs. While the Australian has been good with the bat, he has not delivered with the ball.

They have to get their selection right to restrict an attacking MI batting line-up. Punjab will need either Xavier Bartlett or Kyle Jamieson to come in as another overseas pacer to add strength to the bowling in place of Stoinis, who could be used as an impact sub.

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#2 Attack Trent Boult and Deepak Chahar

2025 IPL - Mumbai Indians v Delhi Capitals - Source: Getty

PBKS openers Priyansh Arya and Prabhsimran Singh have gotten the team off to solid starts multiple times this season. However, in the previous game against Delhi, they failed to get a big opening stand, adding only eight runs for the first wicket.

It will be important for both the openers to fire and get Punjab off to a good start. They will also have to attack Trent Boult and Deepak Chahar in the powerplay. Both Boult and Chahar are wicket-taking bowlers who can swing the ball both ways and are dangerous in the first six overs with the ball.

The only way to negate their threat and keep the runs flowing will be to take the attack to them first up. Should they manage to attack Boult and Chahar, it will also give them a license to attack Jasprit Bumrah later on, given the kind of batting depth they possess.

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#1 Bowl Harpreet Brar to Suryakumar Yadav

2025 IPL - Mumbai Indians v Delhi Capitals - Source: Getty

PBKS spinner Harpreet Brar has been in excellent form with the ball. He has picked up nine wickets from five innings at an average of 15.11, an economy rate of 8.50, and a strike-rate of 10.6 this season.

Punjab will look to bowl the left-arm spinner against star MI batter Suryakumar Yadav. Suryakumar Yadav has been in red-hot form with the bat this season, having scored 583 runs from 13 innings at an impressive average of 72.87 and a strike-rate of 170.46, with four half-centuries. He smashed an unbeaten 73 off 43 balls in their last match against Delhi Capitals.

However, Suryakumar Yadav has had his issues facing left-arm orthodox spinners in the IPL. While he has tried to adapt by bringing in the sweep shot, and has found success as well, the match-up could still be ideal for Punjab. Brar has also been among the wickets in the last two games they have played at Jaipur.