Hardik Pandya dropped to his haunches after Shreyas Iyer struck the winning runs, as Punjab Kings knocked out Mumbai Indians with a five-wicket win in Qualifier 2 of IPL 2025 in Ahmedabad. With the win, Punjab reached their first IPL final since 2014 and will face Royal Challengers Bengaluru on June 3.
It was a tough moment for Pandya, who admitted after the match that he could have done more as captain. “I take the blame,” he said. “Specially Shreyas, the way he batted, he took his chances and played really well. It was a par score but it really needed great execution from the bowling unit but they were really calm and put us under pressure and we were not able to execute the way we wanted.”
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Chasing 204 in a high-pressure encounter, Iyer stood firm with a commanding 87 not out off 41 balls (5 fours, 8 sixes), anchoring the innings and finishing the match with an over to spare. Once Mumbai posted a 200-plus total, Punjab needed someone to bat with control and authority. Iyer stepped up, delivering a knock that combined calculated aggression with clarity under pressure.
He was ably supported by Nehal Wadhera, who made a crucial 48 off 29 balls. The pair added 84 runs for the fourth wicket, steadying the chase at a vital juncture. Wadhera made the most of two reprieves – first when Naman Dhir misjudged a catch at deep midwicket off Mitchell Santner in the ninth over, and then when Trent Boult dropped him at fine leg off Hardik Pandya in the 10th, with the batter on 13.
However, the night belonged to Iyer, who calmly steered the chase, showing maturity and composure throughout.
Josh Inglis gave Punjab early momentum with a brisk 38 off 21 balls (5 fours, 2 sixes) after the early dismissals of Prabhsimran Singh (6) to Boult (1/38) and Priyansh Arya (20). Inglis targeted Jasprit Bumrah in the final over of the powerplay, taking 20 runs with two sixes and two fours.
Bumrah finished with figures of 0 for 40 in four overs, underlining Mumbai’s struggles with the ball in a match where their bowlers rarely found rhythm.
Earlier, a solid team effort with the bat saw Mumbai post 203 for six in a rain-delayed fixture. Suryakumar Yadav and Tilak Varma led the charge with 44 runs each, while Naman Dhir chipped in with a quick 37 off 18 balls. Despite the delay of over two hours and 15 minutes, the match was played in full without any overs lost.
At the halfway stage, Mumbai appeared to have edged ahead. But Punjab’s chase – led by Iyer’s calm authority and supported by timely contributions – ensured they booked their spot in the final with a clinical display.
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