NEW DELHI: Ahead of a high stakes IPL 2025 clash between Punjab Kings and Mumbai Indians, former India cricketer Sanjay Manjrekar believes the Shreyas Iyer-led side has to really work hard on sorting their death bowling issues.
PBKS find themselves in an IPL playoffs after 11 years and a win over MI at the Sawai Mansingh Stadium on Monday will make them the first team to secure a top-two finish in the points table. But Iyer & Co. are coming after failing to defend 206 against Delhi Capitals on Saturday.
What will also keep PBKS worried is that leg-spinner Yuzvendra Chahal hasn’t been available due to a small niggle. “Punjab Kings’ batting looks good — that’s one area that’s fairly organised. Bowling is the worry.”
“Let’s hope Chahal gets fit quickly because when you have someone like Omarzai bowling the 18th over and Stoinis the 20th, you leave yourself open to being defeated in tight matches. That’s an area they really need to work on, ” said Manjrekar on JioHotstar.
In Chahal’s absence against DC on Saturday, uncapped left-arm spinner Harpreet Brar stepped up to pick 2- 41, but it wasn't enough for PBKS to avoid a defeat. As of now, left-arm pacer Arshdeep Singh has been the leading wicket-taker for PBKS this season with 16 wickets at an economy rate of 8.70 in 13 matches.
Chahal and Marco Jansen have 14 wickets each, while Brar has nine scalps. After that defeat to DC, PBKS captain Iyer admitted the side went a bit overboard in bowling bouncers and failed to execute their plans.
"I think we weren't disciplined enough in terms of our execution. Once we read the wicket in the first innings, we had planned that we would be bowling hard lengths as much as possible. Right in the stumps. I think we went a bit overboard in terms of bowling bouncers and tried to take wickets. Couldn't execute that, but a great learning for the boys, " he had said at the conclusion of the game.