Punjab Kings secured their place in their second IPL final with a thrilling five-wicket victory over Mumbai Indians, chasing 204 with an over to spare. The star of the night was Shreyas Iyer, who remained unbeaten on 87 off just 47 balls. He calmly took apart Jasprit Bumrah’s yorkers and smashed three consecutive sixes off Reece Topley, shifting the momentum firmly in PBKS’ favour.
Iyer walked in during the sixth over and got going immediately without wasting any time. He kept the required rate in check with calm, calculated aggression. Whether it was ramping Hardik Pandya or outsmarting Ashwani Kumar on a free-hit, Iyer’s shot selection was flawless. His control against Boult and Bumrah underlined a composed innings that will be remembered for its brilliance under pressure.
JJosh Inglis provided PBKS with a strong start, scoring 38 off 22 balls, which included a 20-run over off Bumrah. Nehal Wadhera added a crucial 48 despite two dropped chances. His straight six off Ashwani in the 16th over showed his growing confidence at No. 5.
PBKS bowlers also played their part. They used off-pace deliveries smartly to restrict MI, especially in the death overs. Despite promising knocks from Suryakumar Yadav (44), Tilak Varma (44), and Naman Dhir (37 off 18), MI couldn’t capitalise on their strong start. PBKS kept striking at key intervals to stop the momentum.
This match was a statement from Iyer — cool, confident, and clutch. For the first time, Mumbai couldn’t defend a 200-plus total in IPL history. With one match to go, PBKS or RCB will be crowned IPL 2025 champions. But this night belonged to Shreyas Iyer — and it always felt like it would.
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