Bollywood actress Poonam Pandey recently met Australian cricket legend and Punjab Kings (PBKS) mentor Ricky Ponting ahead of the much-anticipated IPL 2025 clash between Punjab Kings and Mumbai Indians (MI). The encounter is scheduled to take place in Jaipur on Monday, May 26. Poonam shared a photo of the unexpected meeting on her Instagram story, tagging Ponting and delighting her followers. The meeting added a touch of glamour to the IPL buzz, drawing attention as both teams gear up for their final league-stage battle before the playoffs.

Poonam Pandey was also seen at the last Mumbai Indians match against Delhi Capitals at the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai, further emphasising her continual support of the tournament. As both PBKS and MI have made it to the playoffs, this last league game is important as it is their last chance to place some momentum leading into the knockout stages of the tournament. The post of Pandey and Ponting on social media certainly raised the eyebrows of some, mixing Bollywood royalty and cricketing royalty.

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"Look who I bumped into THE LEGEND @rickyponting," she captioned the picture on her story.

PBKS take on MI in all-important clash in IPL 2025

Despite both Punjab Kings (PBKS) and Mumbai Indians (MI) having secured playoff berths, their upcoming clash remains highly significant. Punjab, currently second with 17 points from 13 matches, aim to cement a top-two finish with a win that would take them to 19 points. Mumbai, in fourth place with 16 points, also eyes a top-two spot but must rely on the outcome of the Lucknow Super Giants vs Royal Challengers Bengaluru match on May 27, should they win against Punjab.

PBKS are coming off a six-wicket loss to Delhi Capitals and will be eager to bounce back before the playoffs. On the other hand, MI had a convincing 59-run victory against Delhi in their last match and will look to keep that momentum in the knockout. Both teams know that being in the top two is key, giving teams an additional chance to reach the finals, so despite both teams already being in the playoffs, this matchup in Jaipur is significant.