Chennai, April 30 – The MA Chidambaram Stadium buzzed with anticipation as Punjab Kings captain Shreyas Iyer strode out for the toss in match 49 of the IPL 2025 season, facing off against a beleaguered Chennai Super Kings side. Iyer called it right, choosing to bowl first under the Chennai lights, a decision that raised eyebrows given CSK’s storied home record, despite their dismal form this year. With the coin flip done, the stage was set for a high-stakes battle at Chepauk, where CSK, languishing at the bottom of the points table, desperately needed a win to keep their playoff hopes flickering.
Punjab Kings, sitting fifth with a solid shot at the postseason, aimed to tighten their grip on a top-four spot. Iyer’s call to chase reflected confidence in his bowling attack and the pitch’s black-soil surface, which promised consistent bounce but could slow down later. The boundaries, measuring 75 meters on one side and 72 on the other, hinted at a game where bowlers might find some respite if they hit the right lengths. A slight overcast sky loomed, potentially curbing dew, which could play into Punjab’s hands as they looked to exploit CSK’s fragile batting lineup early.
CSK, led by Ruturaj Gaikwad, have been a shadow of their former selves, slumping to their fourth straight loss at Chepauk—a rare skid for a team that’s long made this ground a fortress. With just two wins in nine games, the five-time champions faced mounting pressure. Their new recruit, Ayush Mhatre, was expected to bring some spark to the powerplay, having already smashed two of CSK’s five sixes in the opening overs this season. Punjab, meanwhile, missed Glenn Maxwell, sidelined with a fractured finger, forcing Iyer to shuffle his XI without naming a replacement at the toss.
The head-to-head record added spice to the contest. While CSK hold a slight edge with 16 wins to Punjab’s 15 in 31 IPL meetings, Punjab have dominated recently, winning six of their last seven clashes, including back-to-back triumphs at Chepauk in 2023 and 2024. Iyer’s men were clearly itching to make it a hat-trick on CSK’s home turf.
As the teams lined up, CSK’s XI featured Rachin Ravindra, Devon Conway, Ruturaj Gaikwad (captain), Vijay Shankar, Ravindra Jadeja, MS Dhoni (wicketkeeper), Ravichandran Ashwin, Noor Ahmad, Mukesh Choudhary, Khaleel Ahmed, and Matheesha Pathirana, with impact subs like Shivam Dube and Jamie Overton in reserve. Punjab’s lineup included Priyansh Arya, Prabhsimran Singh (wicketkeeper), Shreyas Iyer (captain), Nehal Wadhera, Marcus Stoinis, Shashank Singh, Marco Jansen, Arshdeep Singh, Lockie Ferguson, Yuzvendra Chahal, and a yet-to-be-confirmed replacement for Maxwell, with impact options like Yash Thakur and Suryansh Shedge.
The match, broadcast live on Star Sports Network and streamed on JioHotstar, kicked off at 7:30 PM IST, with the toss finalized at 7:00 PM. The weather forecast predicted temperatures around 30°C, with negligible rain chances and winds up to 15 km/h, setting the stage for an uninterrupted showdown.