IPL 2025, PBKS vs LSG Highlights: Punjab Kings beat Lucknow Super Giants by 37 runs

It was a brilliant catch and bowl by Jansen to dismiss Abdul Samad. The partnership is broken, but it was a brilliant innings from Samad. Meanwhile, Badoni has scored his half-century What a gem of an innings this is turning out to be from him. While the game might be gone but Badoni is playing some cracking shots here and damaging the figures of the bowlers. This is what LSG needs i,n fact more of it. Get as close to the target as possible. Vijaykumar Vyshak who is playing in as impact sub is having a day to forget.

Well, if the partnership is looked at in isolation, it has been a brilliant recovery from both Samad and Badoni. They have played some sublime shots and taken the game to the opposition. Also, it just might be wise for LSG to mix and match their batting order a bit. While in some games having two left-handers or right-handers might not matter much but today the boundaries are skewed and having a right hander and left hander will always allow one batter to access the smaller dimension on the leg-side.

While the result of this game might be decided, both Badoni and Samad are playing lovely innings here in the middle. Some of the stroke play from both players has been quite exquisite. Also, Shreyas Iyer, despite the result, has not gone complacent; he just stuck to the plans and kept making the bowling changes. It will be interesting to see what changes LSG would make for their next game. They were controlling things pretty well in the first innings, and suddenly at the death, things drifted away. It seems like LSG does need a good death bowler.

Badoni is playing quite a cameo here once again,, indicating there are no demons in the wicket, and it is getting better and better to bat on; however, the problem is they are five down, and LSG has lost all the overseas batting personnel who are capable of winning this game. Never say never, that is the name of the game, but it is slim from here, but if they can manage to get to 200-220, that takes care of the net run rate to some extent. As we are updating Abdul Samad smoked a couple of gigantic sixes against Chahal

Since our last update, another wicket fell here, and it is David Miller this time. It is an identical position to where Pant and he were caught at deep point. Omarzai is having a good outing with the ball today. While he has the knack of picking wickets from time to time, he is killing any chance LSG has in this game. The early wicket might be attributed to swing and seam position, the last two wickets have been quite soft dismissals. The important thing for LSG from here on is that they won't get bundled out for a low total.

Omarzai has picked up Rishabh Pant here. LSG skipper's torrid time continues this season. It was one of those one-handed shots which usually go for boundaries;, today ended up as a catch with the bat too slipping away from the hand. It did look awkward, but that has been Pant's form this season. Punjab Kings are chipping away at the wickets. There are enough runs in the surface to be had but it is once again one of those classic mistakes where the team over targetted in the first few overs and lost too many wicket.

We are out of the powerplay and both Pant and Badoni are in the middle. While the chances are slim this chase is not over yet. The spinners will come into operation, and they do not have a lot on this wicket to work with. If Pant and Badoni can maintain a decent tempo and build a partnership till about 13th or 14th over, they still have David Miller in the ranks who can come in and exploit the conditions in the final overs of the innings. 

Arshdeep Singh has picked up the third wicket of the evening and it is danger man Nicholas Pooran this time. It was a delivery which hit the pads as Pooran tried to play on the leg-side and was given out on-field. The batter sent it upstairs however, without much success. This has gone bad to worse quite quickly for LSG. The bigger problem for LSG here in the middle is the loss if it is too heavy just might later damage their payoff chances.

Arshdeep Singh has picked up another wicket here. The batter tried to cut the ball and chopped at the stumps. He did look frustrated did Markram as the stumps rattled. This was always going to be an issue with chases like this. The chase might not get closed out by five overs, but the team can definitely lose it. This is a super start for Lucknow Super Giants. Both Marco Jansen and Arshdeep Singh have been quite brilliant with the new ball here.

Mitchell Marsh and Aiden Markram are batting quite well here in the middle. There is a bit of swing as expected in this ground. It is important that Lucknow does manage to get through this phase of the game. As we update Nehal Wadhera takes a stunner of Mitchell Marsh. It was a fuller delivery and Marsh tried to flick on the leg-side and got the leading edge which went high in the air and stayed there for a very long time. The ball was swirling but Wadhera completed the catch.

 I started well, I had a lot of confidence from my last innings. I got a chance early on and I was able to capitalize. There’s no strategy as such, I’m playing the ball on its merit, want to thank the management as well for backing me. I felt I can take a bit of time after the powerplay. When you get set, when you have already scored 30-35, you need to convert it into something big, it’s good that at times Shreyas is doing it, at times I’m doing it and at times, Priyansh is doing it. The score is really good, we have to bowl in good areas and win the match.

That is a massive score in the end. Shashank Singh has played a superb cameo to take Punjab Kings to that massive total. The bowling from LSG went the way it was supposed however, it is 10-15 runs too many for LSG to chase. They will need Pooran to play a massive innings if they are to get there. As per Punjab Kings Prabhsimran played a splendid innings yet again from being to a player who would chip in with a contribution here and there now he has become a consistent performer. We will be right back with the chase folks do stay with us.

LSG has a chase on their hands. It is quite a big one, but for the most important thing is how they set up the chase for the final phase of the game. These are the kind of games chasing teams might not win it in first five but can lose. As we update Rathi picks Prabhsimran.

Punjab is on its way to getting 220 here. They got there without putting much effort it has been all too easy for them to get these runs. They will be hoping Shahsank Singh would play a mad cameo like Romario Shepherd for RCB from yesterday. The death bowling from Lucknow Super Giants has to be spot here in the middle in the remaining 18 balls. Fortunately for them, they have two right-handers in the middle, which allows LSG bowlers to close one side out and just keep making the batters hit the other side.

Prince Yadav has picked up Nehwal Wadhera here. It was a yorker from Prince which Wadhera tried to play across the line and missed it completely. That is how perfect the yorker has to be for the overs to come if LSG have to restrict PBKS for a below par total. The runs have dried up a bit now too with the wickets. Now Prabhsimran has to take the onus of the innings he has played quite well so far, but now he has to take the responsibility to close out the innings.

Digvesh Rathi has picked up Shreyas Iyer here. The batter tried to hit one through the offside and got the edge to the point fielder. That is a crucial breakthrough for the Lucknow Super Giants. It was looking like the game was drifting away from them with runs flowing but with that things might just slow down a little bit. Nehal Wadhera has also walked into the middle, and he is a left-hander which will let Punjab access both dimensions of the ground.

The challenges for LSG began from this point on. With two set batters, this score can be anything. This is a sort of wicket and ground, the slower balls won't stick, and anything which is not a perfect yorker will be sent into the stands. Punjab is already looking like they will cruise past 200, but how many will be too many for LSG? They do have quite a bit of overseas batting core who would enjoy the conditions, but there must be some score which would make even them think about things. It just seems like a game of damage control from here for LSG

This is a good partnership between Iyer and Prabhsimran brewing in the middle. The promotion of Inglis seems to be quite a smart one. In the first few games, they lacked a proper role for him in the batting order, but at three, things seem to be a lot better for Punjab with Iyer coming at four and controlling the middle phase. Also, we have seen one of the rare sights in modern cricket as Akash Singh managed to complete four overs in the first eight. It is usually MS Dhoni who comes up with such tactics, and it has been refreshing to see some other side to apply it. It has been an impressive debut for Akash for LSG

We have reached the first strategic time-out here, and it has been quite a boxing game this. Every time it seemed like one team was getting ahead, the other side pulled it back eventually. We are in quite a precarious position. Regardless, Punjab need to get to 220 here in the middle. Anything under 200 will be a below-par total. On number occasions, we have seen on this ground that once the swing dies down the run flow just becomes unstoppable. Prabhsimran is batting in the middle and this is the phase of the innings in the last few games he took the attack onto the opposition.

Akash Singh picked up his second wicket. It was a short delivery from him which Inglis hit on the leg-side, although he did not middle it, it went straight to the square-leg fielder David Miller, who took it cleanly. This has been quite a highlight package cricket so far. It has been either boundaries or wickets. Shreyas Iyer has walked into the middle he will be hoping to anchor the innings from here on. And as we update, we have a dropped catch from Pooran. It was a fuller one from Prabhsimran which went high in the air as he tried to take on the leg-side, stayed in the air for a long time, and as it came down Pooran managed to spill it.

It has been a tale of two ends. While Prabhsimran has been more circumspect, Jos Inglis from the other end is batting at a different pace altogether. This is a good start for Punjab Kings, especially the cameo from Inglis, so far has laid the foundation. Once the seam softens up a bit and the swing stops, we can expect a pretty high-scoring affair today. Punjab Kings should be hoping to get 200-220 from here on with the start they got, as the evening goes on with the dew setting in, the batting only gets easier and easier for the batters. They also need to keep that in mind.

Priyansh Arya is the first one to fall. It was a wide delivery that Akash bowled, and Arya carved it straight to third man on the boundary. Good start to this for Lucknow, we have seen this wicket tends to help the new ball bowlers, and there is the wicket. Mayank Yadav comes into the attack from other end and he too will find something in this wicket if he pitches a few one up. Interestingly, though from the Punjab perspective, there is a change in batting order. Jos Inglis has walked into the middle at three. It is Shreyas Iyer who has come into bat it this number so far, but today there is a change.

The ground is buzzing here in Dharmsala. It is the first game at this venue, while usually it is a high-scoring affair whenever there is a game at this venue, but today, as it has been covered for too long, it just might be tricky to start with, and there might be even help for the new ball bowlers.

We have 62 mtrs and 68 mtrs on the side. Not a big ground for sure. The average total in evening games is more than 200. Been under the covers for couple of days. Couple of shades to the wicket. Real abrasiveness. The dark parts, the ball will grip and might spin. The spinners will have a bigger part to play. Generally not a lot of dew when there is cloud cover. The bowlers will have enough in it.

Punjab Kings Impact Subs: Vijaykumar Vyshak, Harpreet Brar, Praveen Dubey, Suryansh Shedge, Xavier Bartlett

Lucknow Super Giants Impact Subs: Ravi Bishnoi, Mitchell Marsh, Himmat Singh, Matthew Breetzke, Shahbaz Ahmed

Aiden Markram, Nicholas Pooran, Rishabh Pant(w/c), Abdul Samad, Ayush Badoni, David Miller, Akash Maharaj Singh, Digvesh Singh Rathi, Avesh Khan, Mayank Yadav, Prince Yadav

Priyansh Arya, Prabhsimran Singh, Shreyas Iyer(c), Josh Inglis(w), Shashank Singh, Nehal Wadhera, Marcus Stoinis, Azmatullah Omarzai, Marco Jansen, Yuzvendra Chahal, Arshdeep Singh

We would have bowled first as well. The wicket was covered for a while and it was pouring yesterday and the day before. It was under the sheets and you know the moisture it adopts to. The grass is thicker. I don't want to predict how the wicket is going to be. We are up for the competition. You gotta to take positives from the game. You can't dwell on how bad you have done in a particular game. It haunts you every now and then. We need to be in high spirits and keep motivating each other and see to it that we are enjoying each other's success. That's the culture and camaraderie in the team. Just keeping things simple. I know it is tough but that's the mantra. Stoinis comes in.

We will bowl first. We feel it is a bowling first. We don't know how it is going to play. Looks like, it will stop a bit. Little loose on the top. Still, a good wicket. It is going to be a good match. Bowling first we will have the advantage and see how the game unfolds and that's the kinda of advantage we were looking to have. Just trying to be simple more often. You want people to have conversation when you are losing. Good to see youngsters stepping in.

For Rishabh Pant to revive his white-ball career with India, a strong performance in the second half of the current IPL season (as of May 4, 2025) is crucial. Since the 2023 World Cup, India has favored KL Rahul for his flexibility, despite Pant being a left-handed wicketkeeper-batsman. Rahul's improved white-ball game, especially leading into the ongoing/recent 2025 Champions Trophy, has solidified his position and makes him a strong contender for the 2027 World Cup. Therefore, Pant needs to perform exceptionally well in the remaining IPL matches to challenge Rahul's established role

Despite inconsistent IPL scores (only one above 25), Pant isn't looking completely out of form but is searching for rhythm. His dismissals due to losing shape are typical of his aggressive batting style. His 63-run innings against Chennai should boost his confidence. The excellent form of Nicholas Pooran has shielded Pant from excessive criticism.

Since a recent triumph under captain Suryakumar Yadav and coach Gautam Gambhir, Rishabh Pant has played very few T20Is for India due to a focus on Test matches and the team preferring KL Rahul for the Champions Trophy. This lack of white-ball match practice meant he entered the IPL short on game time. Additionally, he's captaining an IPL team with weak bowling, adding to his pressures.

Rishabh Pant's recent inconsistent IPL scores aren't a major concern due to the nature of T20 cricket and his aggressive style. However, his white-ball inconsistency isn't new, and his selection for the 2024 T20 World Cup (held in the US and Caribbean) wasn't universally agreed upon. While India considered alternatives during his injury recovery, none consistently secured the spot. Ultimately, Pant's left-handedness and aggressive batting provided a crucial "X-factor" in a predominantly right-handed top order, making his inclusion necessary for the team's balance in the World Cup.

The main focus for Punjab in Dharamsala will be their batsmen's adaptation to the conditions, as their aggressive top-order approach might need to be tempered due to potential seam movement early on. Their inconsistent middle order adds to this concern. With Lucknow, Delhi, and Mumbai also in the playoff race, the matches in Dharamsala, despite the cool weather, are expected to be highly competitive and crucial for playoff qualification.

Punjab strategically scheduled their Dharamsala home games towards the end of the season, unlike Delhi and Rajasthan who used their secondary home venues earlier. To gain an edge, Punjab held a pre-season camp in Dharamsala for their Indian players, aiming to leverage their familiarity with the conditions for a strong finish and potential playoff qualification. Their head coach is optimistic about making Dharamsala a tough venue for opponents and winning all their home games there.

Punjab has been strategically planning for their Dharamsala matches, emphasizing the importance of being in a good position beforehand. As it's their home ground, they believe they should understand and play the conditions better than opponents. They have two practice days to assess and adapt to the Dharamsala pitch. Their final league game being in Jaipur offers a slight respite regarding travel.

In their last Chennai match, spinner Chahal was key in limiting the opposition's score. However, Dharamsala presents a different challenge for Punjab. The renovated outfield there generally favors seam bowlers, especially in the evening matches (two out of three are scheduled then). While pitches are generally slowing down due to heat, Dharamsala's conditions are different. The small ground size and high altitude also make it easier for batsmen to hit boundaries. Therefore, in Dharamsala's evening games, Punjab will likely need their pace bowlers to lead the attack more than Chahal.

Dharamsala serves as Punjab Kings' second home and typically hosts their late-season matches. However, despite being their "home" ground, home advantage has been minimal. While they had a decent record between 2010 and 2013, winning five out of nine matches, they have lost all four games played at the HPCA Stadium since their return in 2023 after a decade-long absence.

Punjab Kings are heading to Dharamsala for a crucial week of matches against Lucknow Super Giants, Delhi Capitals, and Mumbai Indians, all playoff contenders. Despite a strong start to the season with six wins out of ten matches and 13 points, these upcoming games at the HPCA Stadium will determine if they can secure their first playoff appearance since 2014 and only their third overall in the league's history. The scenic Himalayan backdrop serves as a reminder of the significant challenge ahead.

The Himachal Pradesh Cricket Association Stadium provides a balanced contest between bat and ball. Batters can score well, highlighted by RCB's 241 in the last T20 match. Simultaneously, the pitch offers pace and bounce, aiding fast bowlers.

The weather forecast for Dharamsala on Sunday, May 4, 2025, indicates a chance of light rain with a high of 21°C and a low of 15°C. It will feel like 17°C due to humidity, and there will be 13 km/h winds blowing from the southeast.

"They've got match winners everywhere. You just have to look at their batting. They've got guys that if we're not on song can take the game away from us inside three or four overs. They've got some genuine pace coming back now with the ball. They're starting to get the full complement of players. It's a big game for both teams but the one thing they have, they've got some star power across the whole team."

Priyansh Arya, Prabhsimran Singh, Shreyas Iyer (c), Josh Inglis (wk), Nehal Wadhera, Shashank Singh, Marco Jansen, Azmatullah Omarzai, Suryansh Shedge, Xavier Bartlett, Yuzvendra Chahal, Arshdeep Singh

Aiden Markram, Mitchell Marsh, Nicholas Pooran, Rishabh Pant (c & wk), David Miller, Abdul Samad, Ayush Badoni, Digvesh Singh Rathi, Ravi Bishnoi, Avesh Khan, Prince Yadav, Mayank Yadav

Hello and welcome to our live blog of Punjab Kings taking on Lucknow Super Giants in Dharmshala. The battle for the top four is getting quite intense at the top, and we are getting to that stage of the tournament where the process of elimination has begun. While both sides won't get out of it if they manage to lose today but it will get quite complicated. Do stay with us for all the action.