Punjab Kings (PBKS) are expected to take the field without their primary spinner Yuzvendra Chahal in the all-important match against Mumbai Indians (MI) in Jaipur on April 26, Monday.
As revealed by the PBKS spin bowling coach Sunil Joshi, Chahal missed the last match versus Delhi Capitals (DC) due to a niggle.
Now, an ESPNcricinfo report states that the leggie has sustained a wrist injury and is unlikely to feature in the Monday clash against Mumbai Indians.
Big Game Ahead, But Yuzvendra Chahal Still Not Fully Fit
As reported by ESPNcricinfo, Yuzvendra Chahal will not be unavailable for the match versus MI. However, Punjab Kings are hopeful that he gets fit in time for the playoffs.
In Chahal’s absence, Harpreet Brar is expected to take on a more prominent role. Praveen Dubey, who played as an Impact Player against DC, will be an option if Punjab want to include a second spinner in their line-up.
But Chahal’s injury blow is a huge one. His absence was an important factor behind PBKS’ recent defeat to DC in Jaipur, where they failed to defend 206 runs.
In IPL 2025, Chahal has pocketed 14 wickets in 11 innings at an economy of 9.57. He took a hat-trick against Chennai Super Kings (CSK).
Top-Two Finish on the Line
It is an important game for both Punjab Kings and Mumbai Indians. They have qualified for the playoffs but would want to be in a more comfortable position and play the Qualifier 1.
A win tonight would guarantee a top-two finish for either of the teams.
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