Punjab Kings Secures IPL Final Spot with Victory Over Mumbai Indians

Punjab Kings Advances to IPL Final

In a thrilling match, Punjab Kings triumphed over Mumbai Indians by five wickets, securing their place in the IPL final. This victory guarantees that a new champion will emerge this season. On June 3, Punjab will face RCB in the final, marking a significant moment as neither team has won the title in the past 18 years. This marks the first time in 11 years that Punjab Kings has reached the final.

Former Australian captain Ricky Ponting believes that Shreyas Iyer's recent outstanding performance is fueled by his exclusion from the Test team. Iyer played a remarkable innings, scoring an unbeaten 87 runs against Mumbai Indians. Ponting expressed his surprise at Iyer not being selected for the Indian Test squad, noting that other players with similar performances have been given opportunities. He stated, 'I was genuinely disappointed. However, he accepted it well and moved on. There’s a hunger in his eyes to perform well every time he plays for us.'

Ponting further remarked that some players selected for the Test team earned their spots based on their performances in first-class cricket and the IPL, while Iyer has also demonstrated similar capabilities. Last year, Iyer led KKR to a title victory, and under pressure, he played a mature innings that brought Punjab to the finals for the first time in over a decade. Chasing a challenging target of 204 runs against Mumbai's formidable bowling attack was no easy feat, but Iyer redefined aggressive batting.