IPL 2025: Eshan Malinga Makes His Debut as Punjab Kings Bat First Against Hyderabad

Synopsis
Key Takeaways
- Eshan Malinga debuts for Sunrisers Hyderabad.
- Punjab Kings won the toss and chose to bat first.
- Captain Shreyas Iyer emphasizes aggressive play.
- Sunrisers aim to break their losing streak.
- Match held at Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium.
Hyderabad, April 12 (NationPress) The Punjab Kings triumphed in the toss and opted to bat initially against the Sunrisers Hyderabad in Match 27 of the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2025 at the Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium on Saturday. The 22-year-old Sri Lankan fast bowler, Eshan Malinga, is set to make his IPL debut for the Sunrisers, taking the place of fellow countryman Kamindu Mendis, while the Punjab Kings have chosen to maintain the same lineup.
Captain Shreyas Iyer of Punjab Kings remarked, “We are going to bat. In our recent matches, we have batted first and demonstrated the capability to score impressively. Our approach is to play aggressively, and that's our current mindset. We understand our power-play record isn't stellar, but that won’t hinder us. Each player has their unique style, and we need to perform at our best and trust our instincts, repeating that consistently. We're sticking with the same team.”
On the other hand, Sunrisers Hyderabad's captain Pat Cummins commented, “It's all good. I believe we can chase down any target. Although we didn’t start ideally, our training has been solid. Everyone is in a positive mindset. We've had a few losses in a row, which isn't great. One change in the team: Malinga replaces Kamindu Mendis.”
While Iyer’s squad has clinched three victories out of four matches, the home team is on a four-match losing streak and desperately seeks a win. However, Punjab Kings’ young talent Nehal Wadhera emphasized that they won't underestimate their opponents as they gear up for this clash.
Playing XIs:
Sunrisers Hyderabad: Abhishek Sharma, Travis Head, Ishan Kishan, Nitish Kumar Reddy, Heinrich Klaasen (wk), Aniket Verma, Pat Cummins (capt), Harshal Patel, Zeeshan Ansari, Mohammed Shami, Eshan Malinga
Impact Substitutes: Abhinav Manohar, Sachin Baby, Wiaan Mulder, Rahul Chahar, Jaydev Unadkat
Punjab Kings: Priyansh Arya, Prabhsimran Singh (wk), Shreyas Iyer (capt), Shashank Singh, Nehal Wadhera, Glenn Maxwell, Marcus Stoinis, Marco Jansen, Lockie Ferguson, Arshdeep Singh, Yuzvendra Chahal
Impact Substitutes: Suryansh Shedge, Harpreet Brar, Yash Ravisingh Thakur, Vyshak Vijaykumar, Praveen Dubey