Punjab Kings are heating up at just the right time in IPL 2025. With a dominating 37-run win over Lucknow Super Giants, they’ve jumped to the second spot on the points table and look set for a playoff berth.

Punjab’s Power-Packed Batting

In a high-scoring clash, PBKS smashed their way to 236 for 5, marking their 11th 200+ total in IPL history—a stat only bettered by Mumbai Indians. The innings was a boundary fest with 34 hits to the fence, including 18 sixes.

The star of the show? Prabhsimran Singh, who blazed his way to 91 runs. He took on the bowlers from the get-go, attacking 9 of his first 15 deliveries. A dropped catch at 22 gave him a lifeline—and he made it count. Even when his scoring slowed midway, he made up for it in style by smashing 38 off his last 13 balls.

Consistent Contributions From the Middle Order

While Prabhsimran set the tone, others chipped in to keep the momentum going. Shreyas Iyer looked in sublime touch, scoring 45 off 26 balls. His striking form has been a revelation—up from a strike rate of 125 in IPL 2024 to 163 this season, with an improved average as well.

Shashank Singh added a quickfire 33 off 15*, even hitting a monstrous six off Mayank Yadav that nearly disappeared into the mountains of Dharamsala. Josh Inglis added a handy 30, ensuring LSG never got a breather.

LSG’s Bowling Struggles Continue

LSG had a tough outing with the ball. Mayank Yadav leaked 60 runs, matching the worst bowling figures in the team's IPL history. Avesh Khan went for 26 runs in the 19th over alone, and Digvesh Rathi continued his poor form, conceding 46 runs.

With playoffs in sight, this was not the time for LSG to crumble, but that's exactly what happened. Their bowling unit failed to find rhythm when it mattered most.

Arshdeep’s Magic With the New Ball

Punjab didn’t just dominate with the bat—they delivered with the ball too. Arshdeep Singh delivered a fiery spell early on, removing two of LSG’s key batters—Mitchell Marsh and Aiden Markram—in the third over. He later returned to claim Nicholas Pooran, completely breaking LSG’s backbone.

By the end of the powerplay, LSG were reeling at 38 for 3, their lowest score in the first six overs this season.

A Lost Cause Despite Badoni's Brilliance

LSG's hopes dwindled quickly. At one point, their win probability dropped to a mere 0.13%. Still, Ayush Badoni (74 off 40) and Abdul Samad put up a brave fight, adding 81 runs together. But chasing 237 was always going to be a tough task.

In the end, LSG finished at 199 for 7, falling short by 37 runs.

Final Word

PBKS are peaking at the right time. With a fiery batting line-up and Arshdeep leading the bowling attack, they’re looking like serious playoff contenders. For LSG, it's back to the drawing board—with just a few matches left, they’ll need to regroup quickly.