MI vs PBKS: PUNJAB Kings Crushed MUMBAI Indians to Book FINALs Ticket!
MI vs PBKS, Eliminator: PUNJAB KINGS have made it to the FINALS of the TATA IPL 2025! In a high-octane Qualifier 2 clash of IPL 2025, Punjab Kings scripted history by chasing down a daunting 204-run target to defeat Mumbai Indians and secure a spot in the final for the first time in 11 years.
The match, held in Ahmedabad, had all the elements of a classic knockout encounter—rain delays, aggressive batting, key wickets, and one man standing tall under pressure: Shreyas Iyer.
MI vs PBKS Match Summary
TOSS: Punjab Kings won the Toss and opted to bowl first!
Mumbai Indians Playing11: Rohit Sharma, Jonny Bairstow (wk), Suryakumar Yadav, Tilak Varma, Hardik Pandya (c), Naman Dhir, Mitchell Santner, Raj Bawa, Trent Boult, Jasprit Bumrah, Reece Topley (Impact- Ashwini Kumar)
Punjab Kings Playing11: Priyansh Arya, Josh Inglis (wk), Shreyas Iyer (c), Nehal Wadhera, Marcus Stoinis, Shashank Singh, Azmatullah Omarzai, Kyle Jamieson, Vijaykumar Vyshak, Arshdeep Singh, Yuzvendra Chahal (Impact- Prabhsimran Singh)
After an over two-hour delay due to rain, the game began without any overs lost. Sent in to bat, Mumbai Indians would have been content with their performance after breaching the 200-run mark, finishing at 204/6.
Rohit Sharma had a lifeline early on but couldn't capitalize, falling cheaply once again. Jonny Bairstow and Tilak Varma built a solid base with a useful partnership that kept MI ticking. The Englishman departed right after the powerplay, but Suryakumar Yadav extended his impressive run with another impactful knock.
SKY and Tilak added 72 runs before both perished in quick succession, allowing Punjab a brief window of comeback. However, Naman Dhir's blistering cameo of 37 off just 18 balls propelled MI to a total that had never been successfully chased in an IPL Playoff or Knockout game before. Notably, this was the first time a team crossed 200 in an IPL playoff without an individual half-century—truly a team effort.
In response, Punjab Kings needed a calm head and solid leadership. They got both in the form of Shreyas Iyer. With the top order failing to fire as they had all season, the Punjab skipper took charge and played one of the finest knocks of his IPL career. His unbeaten 87 off 41 balls was a masterclass in pacing a high-pressure chase.
Showing composure and authority, Iyer anchored the innings and ensured the required rate never spiraled out of control. Nehal Wadhera, facing his former side, also chipped in with a valuable contribution.
Despite losing wickets at crucial junctures, Punjab never looked rattled. Iyer’s sublime timing and calculated aggression steered them home with balls to spare, breaking multiple records in the process.
This chase of 204 is now the highest ever in IPL Playoff history, and it marked the first instance of the Mumbai Indians failing to defend a 200+ total in the tournament’s history. The win also snapped MI’s hopes in Ahmedabad, where they have now lost six consecutive games, their only win at the venue dating back to 2014.
For Iyer, this victory had added significance—he has now led three different franchises (DC in 2020, KKR in 2024, PBKS in 2025) to the IPL final, a feat no other player has achieved. With this historic triumph, Punjab Kings storm into the final with momentum and belief, chasing their maiden IPL title. And for Shreyas Iyer, this is more than a win—it’s a legacy in the making.