Punjab Kings Opt to Bowl First Against Mumbai Indians in IPL Showdown

In a thrilling IPL 2023 match, Punjab Kings captain Shreyas Iyer won the toss and chose to field first against the struggling Mumbai Indians. With MI aiming for their second win of the season, and PBKS looking to extend their successful run, this match promises to be an exciting encounter. Key players like Rohit Sharma are missing for MI, while PBKS maintains a strong lineup. Discover more about the teams and their strategies in this match preview.

By Narendra Chaudhary Apr 17, 2026, 02:06 IST

Match Preview: PBKS vs MI

Mumbai (Maharashtra) [India], April 16: In an exciting Indian Premier League (IPL) encounter at Wankhede Stadium, Punjab Kings (PBKS) captain Shreyas Iyer won the toss and chose to field first against the Mumbai Indians (MI).

Currently sitting at the bottom of the points table, MI is eager to secure their second victory of the season after managing only one win from four matches. Their last outing ended in disappointment, losing to the defending champions, Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB), by 18 runs. Meanwhile, PBKS has had a stronger performance, winning three matches and experiencing one no-result, and they aim to maintain their momentum.

During the toss, Iyer expressed confidence in his team's performance, stating, “We are looking to bowl first. Our combination has been splendid so far, so we want to continue. The team should stick to the present and not get complacent. Looks a bit dry. We are going with the same team.”

On the other side, MI's captain Hardik Pandya confirmed that Rohit Sharma, who suffered a hamstring issue in the previous match against RCB, will not play. Quinton de Kock is set to open the innings alongside Ryan Rickelton.

“We were looking to bowl first as well. Time to get W (win). I think last game we went for four 20-plus run overs and as a group we are aware of what not to be done. Ro misses out from last game, he will take a couple of games. (Mitchell) Santner also misses out,” Pandya noted.

Mumbai Indians (Playing XI): Quinton de Kock(w), Ryan Rickelton, Tilak Varma, Suryakumar Yadav, Hardik Pandya(c), Sherfane Rutherford, Naman Dhir, Mayank Rawat, Shardul Thakur, Deepak Chahar, Jasprit Bumrah.

Punjab Kings (Playing XI): Prabhsimran Singh(w), Priyansh Arya, Shreyas Iyer(c), Cooper Connolly, Shashank Singh, Marcus Stoinis, Marco Jansen, Xavier Bartlett, Vijaykumar Vyshak, Arshdeep Singh, Yuzvendra Chahal.