Batting first 'to set the tone' inexperienced PBKS' best chance vs 'red-hot' MI

It's Punjab Kings (PBKS) vs Mumbai Indians (MI) in Qualifier 2 of IPL 2025, and Varun Aaron feels PBKS will have a slight edge in Ahmedabad because of the surface, since their top order thrives on such pitches.

"I think the Ahmedabad surface, first of all, is going to suit Punjab. It'll suit both teams, but Punjab more as such, because they rely heavily on both the openers," Aaron said on ESPNcricinfo's Time Out show. "I think it's good that they qualified in the top two. They've got that one game out. At least their young Indian contingent have seen a high-pressure, knockout kind of a game. And now they know what it's all about. What they have to do and what they don't have to do.

"I'm sure Ricky Ponting has been in there. And now they can reset and go into this game. Like Shreyas Iyer said [after Qualifier 1], they lost a battle but they haven't lost the war yet."

Tom Moody, meanwhile, urged PBKS to quickly move past their earlier setback - they folded for just 101 against Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) in Qualifier 1 in New Chandigarh and lost the game - and focus on the qualities that made them one of the standout teams this season. Though he felt MI were "definitely favourites" heading into the contest, "you'd never write off Punjab" because this side "has certainly punched above their weight".

MI knocked Gujarat Titans (GT) out in New Chandigarh on Friday after scoring 228 for 5 and set up Qualifier 2 against PBKS.

"Well, they've had a little bit of time to park that disappointment," Moody said of PBKS. "And they just need to refocus on what's made them good this year. What is it that has made them really a threat throughout the year? And obviously, it's a lot of their uncapped players have punched well above their weight.

"It's continuing to surround them full of confidence and faith. And if they do that on a good batting surface, there's no doubt they'll be competitive. But let's face it, Mumbai are going to be coming in red-hot after a good performance up in Chandigarh. And have sort of, in a way, washed away all the negative aspects of their season. Whether it be individual form, the losses that they had early on in the tournament. They're very good at the business end."

Aaron also stressed on the importance of setting the tone early in this knockout game. He agreed with Moody that setting a target was the better strategy, especially for a team with an inexperienced batting line-up like PBKS.

"I think Punjab would love to set the tone. Especially in a knockout game like this," Aaron said. "I completely agree with Tom: it's always better to set the target. Again, that's also because they've got a very inexperienced batting unit. Yes, they have a good batting unit, but inexperienced.

"So in a game like this, pressure can really get to you. It's better you set the target, less pressure, and then let your bowlers do the rest."