IPL 2025: Why is Axar Patel not playing the PBKS vs DC match?

Delhi Capitals face Punjab Kings in their final IPL 2025 match without regular captain Axar Patel, who is missing due to illness. Vice-captain Faf du Plessis leads the team for the second time this season as DC aim for fifth place, having already been eliminated from playoff contention with 6 wins from 13 matches.Du Plessis won the toss and chose to bowl first against second-placed Punjab Kings, who have 8 wins from 12 matches and could move to the top spot with a victory.Go Beyond The Boundary with our YouTube channel. SUBSCRIBE NOW!At the toss, du Plessis explained his decision: "We will have a bowl. I think today it is 50-50. Just the make up of the side. We are playing an extra batter. It helps while chasing. It has been very frustrating. We started well. Then went on a roller coaster. We have played enough T20 cricket to understand. We played well in the last game for the first 17 overs. Then lost focus. We are playing for the fifth spot. We had our goals to get into top four." PBKS captain Shreyas Iyer expressed optimism about his team's position: "Definitely happy faces. I am not satisfied and content. We want to build momentum from here. Each and every individual is performing for the team. Job half done as of now. Important to stay in the present and seize every possible chance. Inglis and Stoinis come back into the side."Delhi Capitals XI: Faf du Plessis (Captain), Sediqullah Atal, Karun Nair, Sameer Rizvi, Tristan Stubbs, Ashutosh Sharma, Vipraj Nigam, Kuldeep Yadav, Mohit Sharma, Mustafizur Rahman, and Mukesh Kumar.Punjab Kings XI: Shreyas Iyer (Captain), Prabhsimran Singh, Priyansh Arya, Josh Inglis, Nehal Wadhera, Shashank Singh, Marcus Stoinis, Marco Jansen, Azmatullah Omarzai, Harpreet Brar, and Arshdeep Singh.