MI vs PBKS, IPL 2025 Qualifier 2: Key player battles to watch out for ahead of must-win clash

Mumbai Indians (MI) will take on Punjab Kings (PBKS) in Qualifier 2 of IPL 2025 on Sunday, 1 June. The match will decide who will face Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) in the final on 3 June. MI reached Qualifier 2 after beating Gujarat Titans on Friday, while PBKS got here after losing to RCB in Qualifier 1.

Both PBKS and MI have looked strong but only one team can move forward. With so many big names on both sides, the game is sure to bring some exciting individual battles. Let’s take a look at the key player matchups to watch out for ahead of the must-win game.

PBKS vs MI: Key player battles to watch out for

Shreyas Iyer vs Jasprit Bumrah & Hardik Pandya: Against Bumrah, Iyer has managed 66 runs off 50 balls and has a strike rate of just 132 while being dismissed once. Against Hardik, Iyer has scored 17 runs off 17 balls while being dismissed once. Iyer will have to be cautious while playing against Bumrah and Hardik.

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Josh Inglis vs Mitchell Santner: Inglis has been in fine form this season but may face a challenge against Mitchell Santner. The Kiwi spinner has dismissed Inglis twice in just 22 deliveries while conceding 31 runs. That is a wicket every 11 balls. If Inglis walks in early to bat, it will be a key matchup to watch.

Suryakumar Yadav vs Arshdeep Singh: Arshdeep Singh has often been a roadblock for Suryakumar Yadav in MI vs PBKS games. The Indian seamer has dismissed SKY twice in 35 balls, conceding just 42 runs. While the strike rate is decent, the dismissals show Arshdeep has an upper hand over SKY.

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Tilak Verma vs Arshdeep Singh: Arshdeep Singh has removed Tilak Verma once after conceding 31 runs in just 15 balls at a strike rate of over 200. While Tilak has been aggressive, Arshdeep has ultimately had the last laugh. This battle could be explosive if the two face off during the death overs.

Rohit Sharma vs Arshdeep Singh: Rohit Sharma has faced Arshdeep Singh in 23 deliveries, scoring 28 runs and getting dismissed once. While the numbers suggest Rohit has handled him well, Arshdeep’s ability to swing the new ball and strike early means he will still be a major threat.

Hardik Pandya vs Yuzvendra Chahal: This battle is heavily tilted in favour of Yuzvendra Chahal. The Indian spinner has dismissed Hardik Pandya four times while conceding just 71 runs off 74 balls. That is an economy of under 6 and a wicket every 18.5 balls. Hardik will need to be wary of Chahal during the middle overs.