Before the match against CSK, PBKS coach James Hopes said, “Teams with nothing to lose are always dangerous.”

On Wednesday, April 30, Punjab Kings (PBKS) and Chennai Super Kings (CSK) will play at the MA Chidambaram Stadium. James Hopes, the head coach of PBKS, stated that the team will not be taking the Men in Yellow lightly, even though CSK is sagging at the bottom of the table.

In the nine IPL 2025 games that CSK has played, they have only earned two victories. PBKS, meanwhile, are positioned fifth in the standings and have a strong chance of making it to the playoffs. Hopes stated that they will concentrate on the next match against CSK and won’t be gazing too far ahead.

Indeed, I believe that facing teams with nothing to lose is always risky. They can ruin your campaign, as you mentioned. However, India Today cited Hopes as stating, “The most important thing for us is to remain focused on what’s right in front of us.”

“If we perform well over the next few weeks, we are aware of the consequences. Nevertheless, tomorrow night’s first ball and playing our best cricket in this match must be our top priorities. Every team in the competition is a threat; they can defeat anyone on their day. So, looking too far forward would be a mistake. All we’re thinking about is tomorrow,” he continued.

PBKS, led by Shreyas Iyer, has won five of their nine games so far this season. The Eden Gardens hosted their most recent matchup with the Kolkata Knight Riders.

When did PBKS and CSK last meet in the 2025 Indian Premier League?

Earlier this month, PBKS hosted CSK in Mullanpur. Punjab scored 219/6 on a level batting deck thanks to Priyansh Arya’s outstanding 103 from 42 balls. Lockie Ferguson took two wickets, limiting CSK to 201/5 in their 20 overs.

On Wednesday, the Chepauk should offer a more competitive bat-ball match. Even though PBKS is the frontrunner, it wouldn’t be prudent to discount CSK, particularly on their home pitch.