Punjab Kings IPL 2025 Team Preview: Key Stats, Predicted XI & Analysis

Captain: Shreyas Iyer

Coach: Ricky Ponting

Home Venue: Maharaja Yadavindra Singh International Cricket Stadium, New Chandigarh & HPCA Stadium, Dharamsala

Best Finish: Runner-up (2014)

Last Season: 9th

Key Stats

Power-Packed Opening Batter

176.63 – Priyansh Arya scored 325 runs for Delhi in the 2024 Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy at a strike rate of 176. In the Delhi Premier League last year, he amassed 608 runs at a staggering strike rate of 199. Arya’s presence is likely the reason Punjab Kings opted against signing a high-profile opening batter. The team’s PowerPlay run rate in the last two seasons was below nine runs per over — ranking among the bottom five of the 10 teams. His inclusion could help address the team’s scoring struggles at the start of an innings.

Support for Slow Bowlers

6.71 – Spinners conceded just 6.71 runs per over at the Maharaja Yadavindra Singh International Cricket Stadium in New Chandigarh. Since 2023, only Lucknow’s home venue (6.41) has provided better support for slow bowlers. Spinners also picked up 150 wickets at an average of 20 at Punjab Kings’ new home ground. In contrast, pacers conceded over eight runs per over, with 197 wickets at an average of 22. Captain Shreyas Iyer is likely to maximise the three spinners at his disposal — Yuzvendra Chahal, Harpreet Brar, and Glenn Maxwell — ensuring they bowl their full quota of 12 overs combined. However, Punjab Kings will play just four matches in New Chandigarh this season before shifting to Dharamsala for its final three home games. While spinners have been more economical than pacers at the HPCA Stadium too, the advantage is not as pronounced as it is in New Chandigarh.

Struggles at the Back End

11.06 – Punjab Kings has struggled at the death (overs 16-20) in the last two seasons, conceding at 11.06 runs per over — only three teams have fared worse in this period. At the 2025 mega auction, Punjab Kings released Kagiso Rabada and Harshal Patel, entrusting Arshdeep Singh with leading the pace attack. While Arshdeep’s career economy rate at the death in the IPL stands at 9.62, it has surged to nearly 11 over the past two seasons (among bowlers who have bowled at least 50 deliveries in this phase). To make matters worse, the 26-year-old is set to receive minimal support. Marco Jansen has bowled just 12 deliveries at the death in the IPL, conceding at a costly 16 runs per over for Sunrisers Hyderabad. Other pace options — Kuldeep Sen, Lockie Ferguson, Azmatullah Omarzai, Vyshak V., and Marcus Stoinis — have all leaked over 12 runs per over in this phase. Punjab Kings will need to find solutions quickly to avoid repeating past struggles at the back end of innings.

Predicted Playing XI

Top Order

1. Prabhsimran Singh (wk)

2. Priyansh Arya

3. Shreyas Iyer (c)

Middle Order & All-Rounders

4. Shashank Singh

5. Glenn Maxwell

6. Nehal Wadhera

7. Marcus Stoinis

8. Azmatullah Omarzai

Bowlers

9. Marco Jansen

10. Harpreet Brar

11. Yuzvendra Chahal

Impact Player: Arshdeep Singh / Priyansh Arya

Final Thoughts

Punjab Kings will rely on Arya’s explosive starts, its spin-friendly home conditions, and improved death bowling to bounce back this season. Can it overcome past struggles and push for a playoff spot?

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