PBKS's Powerplay Revolution
Punjab Kings' 2025 season represented a structural shift in how the franchise approaches the first six overs. Historically a middle-order-dependent side with aggressive but erratic powerplay batting, PBKS under Shreyas Iyer's captaincy posted a powerplay average of 52.7 runs — the second-highest in IPL 2025, behind only SRH's 57.4.
That 52.7 figure was 8.1 runs above PBKS's own powerplay average from IPL 2024 (44.6) — the largest single-season powerplay improvement of any franchise in IPL 2025.
The change was not structural rearrangement alone. Iyer himself changed his batting approach in the powerplay. Historically a middle-order player who entered at position 3–4 and built innings, Iyer opened or batted at position 2 in 9 of PBKS's 14 matches in 2025. His powerplay strike rate in those matches was 151.4 — significantly above his IPL career powerplay SR of 127.6.
Shreyas Iyer: Reinventing the Powerplay Game
Iyer's powerplay evolution stems from a technical adjustment made visibly apparent in the 2025 season: a trigger movement that now positions him slightly outside his crease, allowing him to play full deliveries on the rise rather than defending back into the crease. The result is a higher ball-striking rate on short-of-length deliveries, which bowlers traditionally considered their safety zone against him.
In IPL 2025, Iyer faced 178 powerplay balls across 12 innings, scoring 231 runs — an average of 19.3 and a strike rate of 129.8. These numbers understate his contribution because 6 of his innings involved partnerships where he anchored while Sam Curran attacked.
| Iyer IPL Powerplay | 2022 | 2023 | 2024 | 2025 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Innings | 9 | 11 | 8 | 12 |
| Runs | 98 | 134 | 89 | 231 |
| SR | 118.1 | 122.9 | 124.6 | 129.8 |
| 50+ scores | 0 | 1 | 0 | 2 |
The year-on-year strike rate progression confirms a genuine technical improvement rather than variance — each season marginally more aggressive than the last, with the 2025 leap being the sharpest.
Sam Curran: The Fearless Foil
Sam Curran's ₹18.5 crore acquisition by Punjab Kings in the 2023 IPL auction was initially characterised as overpayment — a good T20 all-rounder bought at the price of a franchise player. His 2025 season vindicated the investment specifically through powerplay contributions.
Curran scored 289 runs in IPL 2025 powerplay overs across 14 innings, with a strike rate of 166.1. His left-handed angle against right-arm pace is particularly potent: he square-drives and pulls with genuine power, and his flat-bat cover drive off full deliveries is one of the most effective powerplay scoring shots in current IPL.
The Iyer-Curran powerplay combination functioned as complementary psychological tactics: Iyer's composed, high-timing approach forced bowlers to bowl full; Curran then attacked those full deliveries with his flat-bat drives and pulls. Either approach executed individually can be countered; together, they create a field-setting impossibility.
| PBKS Powerplay Stats 2025 | Runs/PP | W Conceded | vs Pace | vs Spin |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall | 52.7 | 1.3 | 8.67/over | 6.21/over |
| With Iyer + Curran | 56.4 | 1.1 | 9.14/over | 6.44/over |
| Without one of them | 44.2 | 1.8 | 7.81/over | 6.04/over |
The 12.2-run difference between matches featuring both players in the powerplay versus those with only one is the clearest evidence that the combination — not the individuals — is the tactical weapon.
Bowling Responses
Opposing captains in IPL 2025 tried various approaches against this combination. The most effective was Hardik Pandya's MI strategy of opening with left-arm spin (Krunal Pandya) in overs 1–2 before the pitch's helpful pace faded. Against left-arm spin, Curran's left-hand advantage converts into a vulnerability — the ball shapes into him rather than away, limiting his square-drive and pull options.
Rajasthan Royals used Chahal in over 3 specifically when both Iyer and Curran were set — the gamble being that a leg-spinner in the powerplay would find the edge before both batsmen fully calibrated to the pitch pace. Chahal dismissed Iyer in 2 of 3 such early deployments.
MI's aggregate powerplay economy against PBKS in their 2 meetings in 2025 was 7.14 — the best any team managed against the PBKS powerplay all season.
The Systemic Significance
PBKS's powerplay improvement in 2025 contributed directly to their playoff qualification — their first since 2014. Of their 9 victories, 7 came in matches where they scored 55+ in the powerplay. In the 5 matches where the powerplay produced under 45 runs, they won only 2.
For IPL History context: powerplay scores above 55 translate to a league-wide win probability of approximately 64%. PBKS's 78% win rate in matches with 55+ powerplay scores in 2025 suggests the rest of their batting order was also performing above average, creating a compounding effect.
FAQ
Q: Was IPL 2025 the first season Sam Curran batted in the powerplay for PBKS?
A: No — Curran opened in 4 matches during IPL 2023 but averaged only 18.6 at a strike rate of 131.2 in that role. The 2024 to 2025 leap in his powerplay effectiveness (SR 131 to 166) coincides with PBKS appointing Iyer as captain, suggesting the tactical framework Iyer implemented specifically enabled Curran's best batting.
Q: What is PBKS's overall playoff record and how does 2025 compare historically?
A: PBKS qualified for the playoffs in 2014 (losing finalists) and 2025. Their historical win percentage across full IPL seasons is 46.2% — the second-lowest among all current franchises after DC. The 2025 improvement to 64.3% win rate was the largest single-season improvement in franchise history.
Q: How did Shreyas Iyer's captaincy affect PBKS's decision-making in the powerplay?
A: Iyer's captaincy introduced a specific change: PBKS used only 1.3 overs of spin in the powerplay on average in 2025, versus 2.1 overs in 2024. This reflected Iyer's preference for setting pace-dominant powerplay attacks rather than seeking early wickets with spin — an approach that reduced the risk of conceding quick singles and rotating the strike away from attacking batsmen.