Picture : IPL / X . Shreyas Iyer Punjab Kings
Punjab Kings produced a scintillating batting show to stun the five-time winners Mumbai Indians by 5 wickets and storm into the Tata IPL 2025 final against RCB. It will be the Kings first final since 2014.
A remarkable turn-around for the Kings who were outclessed by RCB in the first Qualifier by 8 wickets.
Earlier , Punjab Kings Skipper Shreyas Iyer won the toss and opted to field first after the match had delayed start due to rain. It threatened wash-out but that was not to be at the end. The spectators got to see a thrilling contest.
MI lost Rohit Sharma early for 8. Jonny Bairstow threatened a big one but was out when he was neeedd to stay on for 38 ( 24 balls, 3 fours, 2 sixes). Tilak Varma continued the moemntum with a fine 44 ( 29 balls, 2 fours, 2 sixes) but he too fell at the wrong time for MI.
In fine form Suryakumar Yadav also fell for identical of Tilak Varma 44 ( 26 balls, 4 fours, 3 sixes). MI Skipper Hardik Pandya 5 and Naman Dhir 37 saw MI reach a defendale total of 203/ 6 in their 20 overs. Given their bowling line-up it looked good.
Punjab Bowling : Arshdeep Singh 0/ 44 ( 4 overs) , Kyle Jamieson 1/30( 4 over), Marcus Stoinis 1/14 ( 1 over),Azmatullah Omarzai 2/ 43 ( 4 overs), Vijaykumar Vyshak 1/30 ( 3 overs), Yuzvendra Chahal 1/ 39 ( 4 overs)
Chasing a tough total against a potent Mi attack was not going to be easy. But the Kings showed the will and the determination despite losing their in form openers- Prabhsimran Singh 6, and Priyansh Arya 20.
But Aussie wicket keeper batsman Josh Inglis who is an aggressive layer ut the team on track with a quick counter-attacking knock of 38 ( 21 balls, 5 fours, 2 sixes). Nehal Wadhera soon joined the arty and scored a vital 48 ( 29 balls, 4 fours, 2 sixes) unlucky to miss a fifty he put the Kings on course. Shashank Singh was run-out for 2 .
Picture : IPL / X : Punjab Kings Players – Shreyas Iyer and Marcus Stoinis
Despite wickets falling cometh the cometh the man Punjab Kings Skier Shreyas Iyer with his blistering kncok took the game from the MI . Iyer was at his attacking best as he blasted an unbeaten 87 ( 41 balls, 5 fours, 8 sixes). It was carnage that stunned the MI Bowling attack. And Iyer finished the match in style with a humungous six to seal the match.Marcus Stonis was not out 2 as the Kings scored 207/5 in 19 overs. Winning by six balls remaining.
The stuuning win saw Punjab Kings co-owner Preity Zinta fklashing wide smile while watching the match from the stands. It was super finish y Kings chasing a tough total. They now face RC in the final on June 3. MI Skipper Hardik Pandya was cretfallen after ther loss and struggled to hold ack tears. The sixth IPL title dream was over.
Picture : IPL /X . Punjab Kings player Marcus Stoinis consoles MI Skipper Hardik Pandya
MI Bowling : Trent Boult 1/38 ( 4 overs), Reece Topley 0/40 ( 3 overs), Jasprit Bumrah 0/40 ( 4 overs), Ashwani Kumar 2/55 ( 4 overs), Mitchell Santner 0/15 ( 2 overs), Hardik Pandya 1/19 ( 2 overs).
MI would rue that their prime bowler Bumrah could not take a wicket in the big game. And Santner not bowling his full quota of overs shocked many . A move by Hardik andya saw heavy criticism.
Match: IPL 2025, Qualifier 2
Venue: Ahmedabad | Date: June 01, 2025
