Shreyas Iyer's Stellar Performance Leads Punjab Kings to IPL Final
Punjab Kings Secure IPL Final Spot
In a thrilling match held in Ahmedabad, Shreyas Iyer delivered a remarkable performance, scoring an unbeaten 87 runs off just 41 balls, propelling the Punjab Kings (PBKS) to their second Indian Premier League (IPL) final and their first in over a decade. They achieved this with a five-wicket victory against the five-time champions, Mumbai Indians (MI), during the second qualifier.
Facing a daunting target of 204 runs, Punjab displayed a blend of aggression and composure, successfully chasing down the total with one over remaining, largely due to Iyer's powerful hitting and strategic leadership.
The innings began on a shaky note for Punjab as Prabhsimran Singh was dismissed early by Trent Boult for just 6 runs, leaving the team at 13/1 in 2.1 overs. Priyansh Arya then provided a brief spark with a quick 20 runs off 10 balls before being dismissed by Ashwani Kumar, bringing the score to 55/2 in 5.1 overs.
Australian Josh Inglis joined Iyer and played a crucial role, scoring 38 runs off 21 balls, which included five boundaries and two sixes. However, MI captain Hardik Pandya managed to dismiss him at a pivotal moment, briefly halting Punjab's momentum.
As pressure mounted, Nehal Wadhera partnered with Iyer to form a vital 84-run partnership, keeping the required run rate in check. Wadhera fell just short of a half-century, scoring 48 runs off Ashwani Kumar, but had already set a solid foundation for the chase.
Despite losing wickets around him, including a run-out of Shashank Singh for 2 runs, Iyer remained calm. Punjab crossed the 100-run mark in 10.3 overs and reached 150 in 15.1 overs, maintaining a steady scoring pace.
The match concluded in the 19th over, with Iyer sealing the victory with a massive six, marking Punjab Kings' first IPL final appearance since 2014 and adding a significant chapter to Iyer's captaincy journey.
Having previously led Delhi Capitals (DC) in 2020 and Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) in 2024 to the finals, Iyer now becomes the first captain to reach three IPL finals with three different teams. He has the opportunity to become a two-time IPL-winning captain, a rare achievement.
With their momentum and Iyer's exceptional form, the Punjab Kings are now focused on clinching their first IPL trophy. After years of being overshadowed by more successful franchises, 2025 could be their breakthrough year, especially with Iyer leading the charge.
On the bowling side, Mumbai's performance was lackluster, with Jasprit Bumrah struggling, conceding 40 runs in his four overs. Ashwani Kumar took 2 wickets for 55 runs, while Boult and Pandya each claimed one wicket.
Earlier in the match, Mumbai Indians set a challenging total of 203/6 in their 20 overs, thanks to a strong batting display.
Rohit Sharma and Jonny Bairstow opened the innings for MI but faced an early setback as Rohit was dismissed for just 8 runs, leaving the team at 19 runs. Tilak Varma was then promoted up the order, helping the team reach the 50-run mark by the fifth over.
On the last ball of the seventh over, MI lost their second wicket as Bairstow was dismissed by Vijaykumar Vyshak after scoring 38 runs off 24 balls, which included three fours and two sixes.
Suryakumar Yadav then joined the innings, and by the 10th over, MI had crossed the 100-run mark. However, they lost two crucial wickets at 142 runs, with both Suryakumar and Tilak Varma scoring 44 runs each.
In the end, Naman Dhir made a significant contribution, scoring 37 runs off just 18 balls, featuring seven boundaries at an impressive strike rate of 205.56.
For Punjab, Azmatullah Omarzai took 2 wickets for 43 runs, while Kyle Jamieson, Marcus Stoinis, Vijaykumar Vyshak, and Yuzvendra Chahal each claimed one wicket in their respective spells.
Brief Scores: Mumbai Indians 203/6 in 20 overs (Suryakumar Yadav 44, Tilak Varma 44; Azmatullah Omarzai 2/43) vs Punjab Kings 207/5 in 20 overs (Shreyas Iyer 87, Nehal Wadhera 48; Ashwani Kumar 2/55).