Punjab Kings vs Chennai Super Kings IPL preview | Match 22

PBKS v CSK best bets

Punjab Kings vs Chennai Super Kings match preview

Two sides with very different trajectories so far in IPL 2025 meet as Punjab Kings host Chennai Super Kings at the Maharaja Yadavindra Singh International Cricket Stadium in Mullanpur on Wednesday morning (AEST).

With Punjab sitting in fourth and CSK languishing near the bottom, the pressure is already building for the five-time champions.

Punjab Kings got off to a dream start this season, winning their opening two matches against Gujarat Titans and Lucknow Super Giants. But just when they had the chance to make a serious statement, they slipped up. A 50-run thumping at the hands of Rajasthan Royals exposed old habits — promising talent, but lacking consistency under pressure.

The bowling, in particular, has been a concern. Despite marquee signing Yuzvendra Chahal’s arrival, the leg-spinner has yet to fire, going at over 11 runs an over in his last outing.

Still, there have been positives. Shreyas Iyer has brought stability with back-to-back fifties, while Arshdeep Singh has led the attack well, claiming six wickets in three matches.

Meanwhile, Chennai’s campaign has gone off the rails. After a first-round win over Mumbai, they’ve dropped three straight to RCB, RR and Delhi. Their top order continues to misfire, and while Noor Ahmad has impressed with the ball, the rest of the XI looks unsettled. Rotation has been the story of their season — with Sam Curran, Jamie Overton, and Rahul Tripathi in and out — and even Dhoni and Ashwin are now coming in at 7 and 8.

This is a fixture CSK have historically enjoyed, leading the head-to-head 16-14. But Punjab have won four of the last five and beat Chennai comfortably in their most recent encounter.

Punjab Kings vs Chennai Super Kings predictions

Chennai look like a team in search of identity. Their batting is out of form, and their bowling lacks bite outside of Noor Ahmad. Punjab, while not perfect, are far more settled and playing with purpose. They’ve also dominated this fixture recently and should justify their quote of -142.86 with BetOnline.

Aussie all-rounder Marcus Stoinis was promoted to No.4 last game and looked solid. He’s the kind of player who can take charge and set the tone, and against a CSK attack struggling for control, he has the potential to cash in. The +625 quote with cricket betting sites is too good a value to ignore

After a quickfire 65 in the opener, Rachin Ravindra has scored 41, 0 and 3 in his last three. He’s clearly talented, but the left-hander has found it tough in recent outings and could struggle again against Arshdeep Singh and Lockie Ferguson. The Kiwi looks unlikely to survive the powerplay on recent form and another low score is expected.

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