In the 31st match of the IPL 2025 season, held on April 15 at the Maharaja Yadavindra Singh International Cricket Stadium in Mullanpur, the Punjab Kings (PBKS) clashed with the Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) in a pivotal encounter. Both teams, positioned in the mid-table, were eager to secure a victory to enhance their standings in the tournament.
Shreyas Iyer, leading PBKS, showcased an aggressive batting performance, particularly against leg-spinner Zeeshan Ansari, amassing 82 runs off just 36 balls. His innings included six fours and six sixes, reflecting a striking rate of 227.78 .
KKR, under the captaincy of Ajinkya Rahane, entered the match with momentum, having recently defeated the Chennai Super Kings. In contrast, PBKS aimed to rebound from a previous loss to the Sunrisers Hyderabad and were also coping with the absence of their key pacer, Lockie Ferguson, due to injury .
The pitch at Mullanpur was anticipated to favor batsmen, a shift from the previous season where slow bowlers had the upper hand. This change was expected to benefit PBKS, known for their powerful hitters, although KKR’s spinners had been outperforming Punjab’s in the tournament .
