Punjab Kings are set to take on Rajasthan Royals in the 59th match of IPL 2025 at the Sawai Mansingh Stadium in Jaipur. With the tournament reaching its final stages, this clash holds high value for Punjab but is more of a pride battle for Rajasthan.
At the toss, Shreyas Iyer, who is leading Punjab Kings, confirmed a notable absence Marcus Stoinis is not part of the playing XI. Stoinis hasn’t returned to the IPL since the mid-season suspension due to India-Pakistan tensions.
Though there has been no official word from either Punjab Kings or Stoinis himself about the exact reason, it’s understood that he has not rejoined the squad after the break. This could be due to personal reasons, national team commitments, or perhaps concerns around the earlier political situation, but no confirmation has been provided yet.
Punjab Kings have managed well in his absence. The team currently sits third on the points table with 15 points from 11 matches. A win today against Rajasthan Royals could further strengthen their position in the top four and bring them close to a confirmed playoff spot.
Rajasthan Royals, who are already out of the playoff race, are only playing for pride now. Their focus will be on testing their bench and finishing the season with some positivity.
RR vs PBKS Playing XI
Rajasthan Royals: Yashasvi Jaiswal, Vaibhav Suryavanshi, Sanju Samson(w/c), Riyan Parag, Shimron Hetmyer, Dhruv Jurel, Wanindu Hasaranga, Kwena Maphaka, Tushar Deshpande, Akash Madhwal, Fazalhaq Farooqi
Punjab Kings: Priyansh Arya, Prabhsimran Singh(w), Shreyas Iyer(c), Shashank Singh, Nehal Wadhera, Mitchell Owen, Azmatullah Omarzai, Marco Jansen, Xavier Bartlett, Arshdeep Singh, Yuzvendra Chahal
