Date: Saturday, 24 May 2025
Venue: Jaipur
Broadcast: Live on Star Sports
Punjab Look to Secure Top-Two Spot
As the IPL 2025 league stage nears its end, Punjab Kings are chasing a vital win that could seal them a top-two playoff position. A recent upset loss for Gujarat has opened the door, and Punjab are close to full strength heading into their clash with the Delhi Capitals.
Expected to return are overseas stars Marcus Stoinis, Aaron Hardie, and Josh Inglis, while Kyle Jamieson is also back from his Pakistan Super League stint. Skipper Shreyas Iyer remains doubtful due to a finger injury, with Harpreet likely to step in.
Probable Punjab XI: Arya, Prab Singh, Inglis, Wadhera, Iyer (Harpreet sub), Stoinis, Shahshank, Omarzai, Jansen, Arshdeep, Chahal
IPL 2025 Preview: Punjab Kings vs Delhi Capitals – Big Finish or Final Flop?
On the other hand, Delhi’s playoff hopes are officially over following a disappointing loss to Mumbai. They’ve won just two of their last eight matches and are experimenting with their lineup. Skipper Axar Patel is nursing an injury, and Karun Nair has been sidelined.
Vipraj Nigram’s promotion up the order against Mumbai showed promise. Though Delhi looked set for a win, a dramatic collapse at the end saw them fall short once again.
Probable Delhi XI: Rahul, Du Plessis, Porel, Rizvi, Vipraj, Stubbs, Ashutosh (Mukesh sub), Tiwari, Kuldeep, Chameera, Mustafizur
Jaipur Pitch Report
Jaipur has recently produced high-scoring thrillers with first-innings scores of 219, 217, and 209. That marks a shift from earlier trends where scores between 170 and 185 were more common. Punjab were responsible for one of those big scores, indicating their potential to go big again. Delhi’s bowling has been inconsistent, often conceding 185+ totals this season.
Key Player Watch
Vipraj Nigram (Delhi): The young batter has shown flashes of brilliance this season. Promoted up the order against Mumbai, he struck 20 off just 11 balls. Earlier, he smashed 38 off 19 from No. 7. His aggressive style makes him a potential standout for Delhi.
Marcus Stoinis (Punjab): Stoinis has yet to fully fire this season, but his match-up against Delhi’s attack is favorable. With a career strike rate of 173 against this unit, he’s poised to make a major impact, especially if Punjab are chasing.
Prediction
Punjab enter this fixture with momentum and motivation, while Delhi are out of contention and appear mentally drained. Unless Delhi rediscover their early-tournament form, it’s hard to see them holding back Punjab’s in-form batting line-up.
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