“Has gone 10 games without taking a wicket in the powerplay”

Former India all-rounder Irfan Pathan has expressed concern over Punjab Kings (PBKS) pacer Arshdeep Singh’s declining impact with the new ball. His comments come ahead of PBKS’ IPL 2026 clash against Mumbai Indians (MI), scheduled to be played later today, Thursday, April 16, at the Wankhede Stadium.

Speaking in a video on his YouTube channel, Pathan noted that in the last 10 IPL matches, the left-arm seamer has gone wicketless in the powerplay and has conceded runs at an economy rate of 10.80. He said:

“Arshdeep Singh, playing for Punjab, has now gone 10 games without taking a wicket in the powerplay. In the last match he took a total of two wickets. But overall, in this league, it has been 10 matches; if we combine last year and this year, he has not taken a wicket in the powerplay. This is definitely a matter of concern.”

However, Pathan noted that in Mumbai, the humidity can aid seam movement, with the ball tending to swing more in such conditions. He stated that Arshdeep could benefit from these conditions and regain some advantage. He added:

“It could become comparatively easier when left-handed batters come in because for right-handed batters, his inswing is finishing outside the leg stump. On Mumbai’s pitch, there is a bit of pace and swing, and the conditions are quite humid. The temperature is changing and it is very hot, meaning there is a lot of humidity. In humid conditions, the new ball tends to swing more, so Arshdeep might get some advantage from that and it could help build his confidence. I will be keeping an eye on that.”

Overall, PBKS’ Arshdeep has struggled so far this season, picking up just two wickets in four matches at an average of 74.50, with a strike rate of 42.00 and an economy rate of 10.64.

“If you dismiss Shreyas Iyer, you break the backbone of Punjab” – Irfan Pathan highlights key matchup against PBKS skipper

In the same video, Irfan Pathan highlighted a crucial matchup between PBKS skipper Shreyas Iyer and MI pace spearhead Jasprit Bumrah. Iyer has been relatively solid against Bumrah, scoring 74 runs off 57 balls and being dismissed just once.

Pathan suggested that MI should reserve one of Bumrah’s overs specifically for Iyer, adding that dismissing the PBKS skipper would effectively mean breaking the backbone of the side. Pathan said:

“Against Bumrah, Shreyas Iyer has a strike rate of 130 and has been dismissed only once. It means he has played well, and even when he plays carefully, he manages it well. But it looks like Shreyas Iyer is full of confidence. On the other hand, Jasprit Bumrah seems to be searching for a bit of form. But you can never count Jasprit Bumrah out.

“So this matchup will be very important. From Mumbai’s side, keeping an over for Shreyas will be crucial because if you dismiss Shreyas Iyer, you break the backbone of Punjab. So this matchup is something I would definitely want to watch, and Mumbai should definitely keep one over of Bumrah specifically for Shreyas Iyer,” he added.

Iyer has been in excellent touch, scoring 137 runs in three innings at an average of 68.50 and a strike rate of 187.67, including two half-centuries.