Punjab Kings win rain-hit toss, opt to bat against Capitals

A view of the picturesque Dharamsala stadium

Opting to bat first, Punjab Kings will aim to build on their exceptional form as they face a struggling Delhi Capitals side in a crucial IPL 2025 clash at the Himachal Pradesh Cricket Association Stadium in Dharamshala on Thursday. With playoff hopes hanging in the balance, the encounter holds high stakes for both teams.

Punjab Kings have enjoyed an impressive campaign so far, securing seven victories in 11 matches and suffering only three defeats. Their consistent performances have propelled them just outside the top two, making them strong contenders for early qualification into the knockout stages. A win in this fixture could see them climb to the summit of the points table and become the first team to officially book a playoff berth.

In contrast, Delhi Capitals find themselves in a precarious position. Despite starting the season with four consecutive wins, their form has dipped dramatically. They have recorded just two victories in their last six games and had one no result due to rain. Currently placed fifth with 13 points from 11 games, the Capitals are in dire need of a turnaround to keep their playoff aspirations alive.

Thursday's match was initially delayed due to persistent rain, with the toss being held up as covers remained on the pitch and light showers continued at the venue.

Delhi's woes have been compounded by an unsettled opening combination, having experimented with six different opening pairs throughout the season - none of which have provided the desired impact. In their previous outing, they narrowly escaped defeat despite posting a modest total of 133 runs while batting first against Sunrisers Hyderabad.

Meanwhile, Punjab Kings come into this match brimming with confidence following back-to-back victories. Under the leadership of Shreyas Iyer, the team secured a commanding 37-run win over the Lucknow Super Giants at the same venue, showcasing depth in both batting and bowling departments.

As the tournament nears its business end, this encounter could prove pivotal. While Punjab looks to solidify their dominance and seal a playoff spot, Delhi must regroup quickly to stay afloat in what has become a do-or-die situation.

Squads:

Punjab Kings: Priyansh Arya, Prabhsimran Singh, Shreyas Iyer(c), Josh Inglis(w), Shashank Singh, Nehal Wadhera, Marcus Stoinis, Azmatullah Omarzai, Marco Jansen, Yuzvendra Chahal, Arshdeep Singh, Vijaykumar Vyshak, Suryansh Shedge, Harpreet Brar, Xavier Bartlett, Praveen Dubey, Musheer Khan, Vishnu Vinod, Yash Thakur, Aaron Hardie, Kuldeep Sen, Harnoor Singh, Pyla Avinash, Mitchell Owen

Delhi Capitals: Faf du Plessis, Abishek Porel, Karun Nair, KL Rahul(w), Axar Patel(c), Tristan Stubbs, Vipraj Nigam, Mitchell Starc, Dushmantha Chameera, Kuldeep Yadav, T Natarajan, Ashutosh Sharma, Mohit Sharma, Mukesh Kumar, Ajay Jadav Mandal, Darshan Nalkande, Jake Fraser-McGurk, Sameer Rizvi, Donovan Ferreira, Tripurana Vijay, Manvanth Kumar L, Madhav Tiwari, Sediqullah Atal