Chennai (Tamil Nadu) [India], May 1 : Punjab Kings (PBKS) continued their strong push towards playoff qualification with a four-wicket win over Chennai Super Kings (CSK), marking their sixth victory of the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2025 season. A steady opening partnership and composed middle-order batting proved vital in chasing down the target of 191.
Opening batter Prabhsimran Singh played a crucial role in the chase, scoring 54 off 36 balls, laced with five boundaries and three sixes. He built a solid 44-run opening stand with young Priyansh Arya, who chipped in with 23 before getting dismissed.
Reflecting on their partnership, Prabhsimran said, "We both are hitting well so sometimes it happens that the wicket looks like it'll play slow, so we took our time at the start. When he got out, I took the onus of scoring runs," as quoted from ESPNcricinfo.
The duo's chemistry at the top was no coincidence.
"When we had our camps, we were told we'll open together so we bonded well from then only and we opened together from that time," he added.
Prabhsimran also spoke about his calm approach during the innings, trusting the depth in Punjab's batting order.
"I wasn't thinking too much about the run rate because I knew Shreyas is there, so if I miss out, I knew he'd hit a few boundaries," he added.
Rather than chasing personal milestones, the right-hander emphasized his team-first mindset.
"I always thought that even if I get 35-40 runs in a winning cause it's good, I don't need to score 70-80 or 100. And I am just trying to carry on when I get set," he noted.
He was also full of praise for head coach Ricky Ponting, crediting the Australian legend for creating a supportive environment in the dressing room.
"I would like to give the credit to Ricky Ponting. Even when things are going bad, if the coach or captain go and speak to the players, it really helps," Prabhsimran said.
With this win, Punjab Kings continue their fight for a playoff spot, and the opener confirmed that the team remains focused on the bigger goal.
"Yes, now we are looking at qualification, and we are doing our best to do that," he concluded.
Coming to the match, PBKS won the toss and opted to bowl first. CSK was 48/3 at one point, then a 78-run stand between Sam Curran and Dewald Brevis (32 in 26 balls, with two fours and a six) helped them get back in the innings. Curran continued to fire single-handedly, making 88 in 47 balls, with nine fours and four sixes. CSK was bundled out for 190 in 19.2 overs. It was a hat-trick from Yuzvendra Chahal (4/32) which made CSK collapse from 172/4 to 190 all out. Arshdeep Singh (2/25) was also superb with the ball.
During the run-chase, Priyansh Arya (23 in 15 balls, with five fours) and Prabhsimran Singh gave PBKS a quick start with a 44-run stand. A 72-run stand between Prabhsimran (54 in 36 balls, with five fours and three sixes) and skipper Shreyas Iyer solidified PBKS' control over the game. Iyer continued to take control, scoring 72 in just 41 balls, with five fours and four sixes and stitching a partnership with Shashank Singh (23 in 12 balls, with a four and two sixes). PBKS did lose wickets towards the end, but won by four wickets with two balls left.
Khaleel Ahmed (2/28) and Matheesha Pathirana (2/45) were the top wicket-takers for CSK.
PBKS is now at the second spot in the table with six wins, three losses and a no result, giving them 13 points. CSK is struggling at the bottom, with two wins and eight losses, giving them four points.