In what turned out to be a fiery start to Punjab Kings’ defense in the 31st match of IPL 2025, left-arm pacer Marco Jansen delivered a telling blow by dismissing the dangerous Sunil Narine in the very first over of Kolkata Knight Riders’ chase. The clash, held at the picturesque Maharaja Yadavindra Singh International Cricket Stadium in Mullanpur on April 15, witnessed a moment of brilliance from the South African speedster, who showed why he’s such a valued asset in the powerplay.
Opening the bowling ahead of regular new-ball operator Arshdeep Singh, Jansen made an immediate impact. On the final ball of the first over, he bowled a good-length delivery angling into the off-stump. Narine, ever the aggressor at the top, cleared his front leg and swung hard in an attempt to deposit the ball over mid-wicket. However, he missed it completely, and the ball cannoned into the stumps, silencing the KKR dugout and giving PBKS a dream start.
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Narine, who was the standout performer in IPL 2024 and even bagged the MVP title, hasn’t been able to replicate that dominant form with the bat this season. While he’s been tight and incisive with the ball—claiming key wickets and keeping runs in check—his batting has been scratchy at best. Inconsistent shot selection and an inability to convert starts have pegged him back. His five off four balls against Punjab only added to that narrative.
Breakthrough for PBKS!
Marco Jansen strikes early to remove the dangerous Narine!
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Before the match, former Punjab Kings coach Wasim Jaffer, speaking on ESPNcricinfo, had pointed out PBKS’s struggles with the ball in the powerplay. He expressed concern over the inability of Arshdeep Singh and Marco Jansen to pick early wickets consistently. “They look to Arshdeep and Jansen to strike early, but that hasn’t really happened this season,” Jaffer said. He also noted the uncertainty surrounding Lockie Ferguson’s fitness and raised questions about Punjab’s bowling combinations going forward.
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Jaffer also weighed in on Yuzvendra Chahal, the costliest spinner in IPL auction history, emphasizing that the leggie needs to shift his mindset. “Chahal is bowling too defensively,” Jaffer said. “He’s relying on sliders rather than giving the ball a good rip. We saw what he’s capable of when he dismissed Travis Head. But he needs to bring that kind of aggression more often.”
