'Teams with nothing to lose are always dangerous' - PBKS coach James Hopes ahead of CSK clash
"We know what’s at stake if we play well over the next couple of weeks. Still, our focus needs to be on the first ball tomorrow night and playing our best," Hopes said ahead of the CSK vs PBKS tie.
Punjab Kings (PBKS) are set to take on Chennai Super Kings (CSK) at the MA Chidambaram Stadium on Wednesday, April 30. While CSK are languishing at the bottom of the table, PBKS head coach James Hopes asserted that the team will not be taking the Men in Yellow lightly.
CSK have only managed two wins out of the nine matches they have played in IPL 2025. Meanwhile, PBKS are stationed at No. 5 on the points table, and have a very good chance of reaching the playoffs. However, Hopes said that they won't be looking too far ahead and will focus on the upcoming game against CSK.
"Yeah, I think it's always dangerous playing teams that have nothing to lose. As you said, they can spoil your campaign. But the biggest thing for us is to stay focused on what’s right in front of us," Hopes was quoted as saying by India Today.
"We know what’s at stake if we play well over the next couple of weeks. Still, our focus needs to be on the first ball tomorrow night and playing our best cricket in this game. Every team in the tournament is dangerous—on their night, they can beat anyone. So, it would be foolish to look too far ahead. We’re just focused on tomorrow," he added.
Shreyas Iyer-led PBKS have won five out of the nine games they have played this season. Their most recent clash against Kolkata Knight Riders was washed out at the Eden Gardens.
What happened the last time PBKS met CSK in IPL 2025?
PBKS hosted CSK in Mullanpur earlier this month. On a flat batting deck, Punjab posted 219/6 on the back of Priyansh Arya's magnificent 103 off 42 balls. CSK were restricted to 201/5 in their 20 overs as Lockie Ferguson bagged two wickets.
The Chepauk is expected to provide a better contest between bat and ball on Wednesday. While PBKS are the favourites, it won't be wise to count CSK out, especially on their homeground.
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