PBKS easily defeated LSG by eight wickets, chasing the target in just 16.2 overs.
Punjab Kings (PBKS) used the Impact Player rule wisely in their Indian Premier League (IPL) 2025 match, showing Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) how to make the most of it.
PBKS easily defeated LSG by eight wickets, chasing the target in just 16.2 overs.
Looking at LSG’s playing XI, their top seven batters were Aiden Markram, Mitchell Marsh, Nicholas Pooran, Rishabh Pant, Ayush Badoni, David Miller, and Abdul Samad. However, none of them are full-time bowlers. Marsh, who can bowl medium pace, is not bowling this season due to injury concerns. Badoni and Markram can bowl occasionally, but apart from them, there were no extra bowling options.
This meant LSG had only four main bowlers, with their fifth being the Impact Player, Manimaran Siddharth. Playing both Marsh and Samad in the main batting lineup made it difficult for LSG to include a sixth bowler. As a result, they had only five bowling options, including their Impact Player, which could be a problem in tough matches.
Adding to their troubles, LSG’s key fast bowlers were injured and recovering, forcing them to rely on inexperienced bowlers. This made their team unbalanced.
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PBKS had a better and more flexible plan. While bowling first, they picked only four main bowlers and used Glenn Maxwell and Marcus Stoinis to complete the fifth bowler’s quota, with Suryansh Shedge also available as a bowling option.
They also made smart use of the Impact Player rule. If they needed an extra fast bowler at the end, they could bring in Vyshak Vijaykumar, like they did in the first match against GT. If spin was helpful, they had Harpreet Brar. If they wanted to strengthen their batting, Nehal Wadhera was an option.
Wadhera came in during the chase and played a crucial knock, scoring 43* off 25 balls. This stretched PBKS’ batting lineup to No. 9. Their smart approach gave them a well-balanced team and the flexibility to adjust based on the situation.
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