Shreyas Iyer led Punjab Kings to their first IPL final in 11 years with a match-winning 87 not out as PBKS defeated Mumbai Indians by five wickets in Qualifier 2 of IPL 2025. The result also sets up a first-ever all-new winner final, with Punjab now set to face Royal Challengers Bangalore in the title clash.
In a rain-delayed match in Ahmedabad, Mumbai posted a strong total of 203 for 6, thanks to solid efforts from Suryakumar Yadav, Tilak Varma, and Naman Dhir. But despite their firepower, MI couldn’t close the game out. Punjab, who struggled with the bat in Qualifier 1, looked far more composed this time, successfully chasing down a 200-plus target against MI for the first time in IPL history.
Punjab’s chase got a big boost early on when Josh Inglis hammered Jasprit Bumrah for 20 runs in one over. Even though they lost Prabhsimran Singh and Priyansh Arya inside the PowerPlay, their run rate stayed healthy. Shreyas Iyer and Nehal Wadhera then took charge in the middle overs, calmly steering the innings. Wadhera added a handy 48, while Iyer’s calculated aggression ensured Punjab never lost control of the chase.
Mumbai had their chances. Hardik Pandya kept things tight and even dismissed Inglis with a short ball. Bumrah returned for a quiet over, but Topley and Boult were taken apart in the key middle overs. Iyer smashed three sixes off Topley in one over, and Wadhera chipped in with boundaries off Boult, easing pressure on the required rate.
In the final phase, Punjab lost Wadhera and Shashank Singh in quick succession, but Iyer remained calm. He struck a crucial four off Bumrah in the 17th over and finished the game in the 19th with four sixes off Ashwani Kumar, capping off one of the finest individual performances of the season.
Earlier, Mumbai had a promising start with 65 runs in the PowerPlay. Bairstow looked in touch, but wickets at regular intervals held them back slightly. Suryakumar and Tilak stitched together a steady middle phase, with both scoring 44. Dhir’s late burst gave MI a final push past 200, but notably, the side failed to hit a single six in the last five overs—an unusual stat for their lineup.
With this win, Punjab Kings enter just their second IPL final, the first since 2014. For Mumbai, the campaign ends short of the final, while all eyes now turn to Tuesday’s final where one of RCB or PBKS will finally lift their maiden IPL trophy.
