Punjab Kings (PBKS) have been dealt a major blow in the IPL 2025 as star fast bowler Lockie Ferguson has been officially ruled out of today’s match against Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) and is expected to miss the remainder of the season.
Reason why Lockie Ferguson is not playing today’s match against KKR
The Kiwi pacer sustained injury in his left thigh during PBKS’s high-octane clash against Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) on Saturday, April 13. Ferguson bowled just two deliveries before pulling up in pain and leaving the field, clutching his left thigh in visible discomfort.
According to Punjab Kings’ fast bowling coach James Hopes, the injury is “pretty serious,” casting doubt over Ferguson’s availability for the rest of the tournament. “Ferguson is out indefinitely, and us getting him back by the end of the tournament is a very low percentage. He’s done a real decent injury to himself,” Hopes revealed during a pre-match media interaction.
The 33-year-old has been a vital component of the PBKS bowling lineup this season, picking up five wickets in four matches with his pace and accuracy proving crucial in key moments.
Punjab Kings wins the toss and opts to bat first
Despite the setback, PBKS captain Shreyas Iyer won the toss and opted to bat first against KKR at the Maharaja Yadavindra Singh International Cricket Stadium, Mullanpur.
“We are going to bat first. Feel the wicket has been really well for the last couple of matches, the dew comes in but the outfield doesn’t skid through,” Iyer explained, indicating that the team remains focused on executing their game plan despite the injury concerns.
PBKS vs KKR: Playing XI and Impact substitutes of both teams
Punjab Kings (Playing XI): Priyansh Arya, Prabhsimran Singh (wk), Shreyas Iyer (c), Nehal Wadhera, Josh Inglis, Shashank Singh, Glenn Maxwell, Marco Jansen, Xavier Bartlett, Arshdeep Singh, Yuzvendra Chahal
Punjab Kings Impact Subs: Manish Pandey, Angkrish Raghuvanshi, Rovman Powell, Luvnith Sisodia, Anukul Roy
Kolkata Knight Riders (Playing XI): Quinton de Kock (wk), Sunil Narine, Ajinkya Rahane (c), Venkatesh Iyer, Rinku Singh, Andre Russell, Ramandeep Singh, Harshit Rana, Vaibhav Arora, Anrich Nortje, Varun Chakaravarthy
Kolkata Knight Riders Impact Subs: Vijaykumar Vyshak, Suryansh Shedge, Yash Thakur, Harpreet Brar, Praveen Dubey
