After winning the toss and choosing to bowl first against Chennai Super Kings in Chennai on Wednesday, PBKS skipper Shreyas Iyer hinted that Glenn Maxwell is ruled out for the remainder of the IPL 2025 season due to a finger injury.
With South Africa's seam attack featuring Kagiso Rabada, Lungi Ngidi, and Marco Jansen and Australia having Pat Cummins, Mitchell Starc, and the ever-dependable Josh Hazlewood in their lineup, the battle between the two sides' fast bowlers is likely to be critical in determining the outcome of the World Test Championship final, as per ICC website.
Shreyas Iyer was happy after his side registered a clinical victory over Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) in a rain-curtailed clash in Bengaluru.
South Africa go into the five-day clash at Lord's, which starts on Wednesday, as underdogs but Conrad struck an optimistic tone at a press conference on Monday.
IMAGES from the IPL match between Punjab Kings and Royal Challengers Bengaluru in Mullanpur on Sunday
Ryan Rickelton posted the joint seventh-highest score by a South African in Tests with 259 as his side ran up a huge 615 before reducing Pakistan to 64/4 at the close on Day 2.
Their scintillating performance powered Royals to 89/1 in six overs, their highest-ever Powerplay score.
IMAGES from the IPL match between Royal Challengers Bengaluru and Punjab Kings at the Chinnaswamy stadium, in Bengaluru on Friday
Punjab Kings will look to renew their bid for a play-off berth with another commanding performance in Jaipur on Sunday against Rajasthan Royals, who have failed to rise above mediocrity despite possessing the resources this season.
Rizvi, Nair power DC to six-wicket win over Punjab Kings
Shreyas Iyer and Shubman Gill, both in strong form after their Champions Trophy triumph with India, look to lead their respective teams, Punjab Kings and Gujarat Titans, to IPL glory in the 2025 season.
South Africa will aim for their first Test victory in India in more than 15 years.
This squad is by far one of the most compact in Punjab's IPL history and with the tactical genius of Ricky Ponting at the helm, it will be a folly to write them off at any time of the competition.
Let's take a look at the standout performers in the bowling department:
Royal Challengers Bengaluru have very little time to pick up the pieces after a debilitating loss as they eye a much-improved display from their batting unit in a return Indian Premier League match against in-form Punjab Kings in Mullanpur, Punjab, on Sunday.
Skipper Shreyas made an excellent fifty to support Yuzvendra Chahal's hat-trick as Punjab Kings defeated Chennai Super Kings by four wickets in their IPL match here on Wednesday.
Royal Challengers Bengaluru's bid for a maiden home victory this IPL season will depend on their batters' ability to handle the spin duo of Yuzvendra Chahal and Glenn Maxwell when they face the Punjab Kings on Friday.
'If one can be brutally honest, he is part of this set-up more because of his reputation.'
Jasprit Bumrah continues to dominate the ICC Test bowling rankings, retaining his position as the No. 1 bowler.
'I've played with Bumrah in the IPL and we're good friends. You're not going to back down when you're playing for your country and sometimes on the field things get heated.'
If Punjab goes for a flat deck, there is no guarantee that the bowling unit can defend anything in the 220 range, especially when KKR have the likes of Sunil Narine, Rinku Singh, and Venkatesh Iyer in their ranks.
Delhi Capitals will be desperate to arrest their slump and stay in contention for a play-off berth when they take on high-flying Punjab Kings in a crucial IPL match in Dharamsala on Thursday.
SRH's ultra-aggressive approach with the bat has backfired spectacularly as they have suffered four defeats in a row -- leaving them languishing at the bottom of the points table.
This was India's fourth defeat in the last six Tests at home and in all four Tests -- including three against New Zealand -- their batters have flopped against spin.
Defending champions Sunrisers Eastern Cape registered their fourth successive victory with a 14-run win over Joburg Super Kings.
Punjab Kings batter Shashank Singh revealed that the team collectively 'manifested' a top-two finish after the mini-auction.
Shreyas Iyer had led KKR to their first IPL title in a decade last year. However, on Saturday, he returns as captain of a rejuvenated Punjab Kings chasing a play-off spot.
The Indian Premier League (IPL) 2026 auction saw some foreign names earning big bucks, headlined by Aussie all-rounder Cameron Green
Gibbs said leadership develops with time, and Gill possesses the composure to grow into the role.
Captain Shreyas Iyer is pleased that Punjab Kings displayed the right mindset after being put under the pump by aggressive Rajasthan Royals top-order batters.
IMAGES from the IPL match between Punjab Kings and Chennai Super Kings in Mullanpur on Tuesday
It was a game which would be more remembered for the dropped catches more than the ones that were held.
Expect some fireworks for the highly-versatile Cameron Green along with Quinton de Kock, Matheesha Pathirana, Venkatesh Iyer and Ravi Bishnoi.
Joe Root has reclaimed the top spot in the ICC Men's Test Batting Rankings after his stellar efforts helped England secure a 22-run victory over India at Lord's, according to the official website of the ICC.
The depth of fast bowlers at South Africa's disposal was no better evidenced than on Thursday as Corbin Bosch and Dale Paterson took nine of the 10 wickets to dismiss Pakistan for 211 on the opening day of the first Test at Centurion.
Debutants Afghanistan will aim to continue their impressive rise in white-ball cricket, while South Africa will once again attempt to shed the 'chokers' tag when the two sides kick-off their Champions Trophy campaign in Karachi on Friday.
South Africa picked an experienced 15-man squad for next month's Champions Trophy in Pakistan with 10 players having competed at the last World Cup in India in late 2023.
Former No. 1-ranked Test batter Marnus Labuschagne and Usman Khawaja would open the innings for Australia in the WTC final against South Africa while the fit-again Cameron Green would bat at the No. 3 position.
South Africa shredded through the Indian batting line-up to claim victory by an innings and 32 runs in the first Test.
Left-arm spinner Harpreet Brar praised Nehal Wadhera for his tremendous batting performance and explained how the 24-year-old, who scored an unbeaten 33 off 19 ball, including three fours and as many sixes, has grown over the years.
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