Shreyas Iyer’s unbeaten 87 off 41 deliveries powered Punjab Kings (PBKS) into their second Indian Premier League (IPL) final—and their first since 2014—by defeating five-time champions Mumbai Indians (MI) by five wickets in Qualifier 2 at the Narendra Modi Stadium on Monday.
Chasing a daunting target of 204, Punjab chased down the total with an over to spare, finishing on 207/5. Iyer’s sparkling captain’s knock guided his team home and etched his name into IPL history: he is now the first captain to lead three different franchises into the final. Having previously captained Delhi Capitals (DC) in 2020 and Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) to an IPL title in 2024, Iyer’s leadership pedigree continues to grow.
Shaky start, then Iyer’s masterclass
Punjab’s chase began nervously. Prabhsimran Singh fell cheaply to Trent Boult for 6, leaving PBKS at 13/1 in 2.1 overs. Priyansh Arya then injected brief momentum with a quickfire 20 off 10 balls, but was dismissed by Ashwani Kumar when the score was 55/2 in 5.1 overs.
It was at this juncture that Iyer took charge. Partnering with Australian wicketkeeper-batter Josh Inglis, the duo steadied the ship. Inglis contributed a brisk 38 off 21 deliveries—featuring five fours and two sixes—before MI skipper Hardik Pandya drew him back at a critical moment, momentarily halting Punjab’s momentum. At 106/3 in 10.3 overs, the required run rate remained high, but Punjab’s intent never wavered.
Nehal Wadhera joined Iyer at the crease, and together they stitched an invaluable 84-run partnership for the fourth wicket. Wadhera, playing with freedom and purpose, fell just shy of a half-century for 48, giving Hindi TV sensation Ashwani Kumar his second scalp. Yet by then, the platform was firmly laid for Iyer to march his side to victory. Despite Mumbai’s tight fielding and bowling changes, Iyer remained unfazed—his clean striking ensured Punjab crossed the 150-run mark in 15.1 overs.
With five wickets still in hand and 26 needed from 30 balls, Iyer continued to dominate. He sealed the win in the 19th over with a towering six, raising his bat to a rapturous salute from teammates and fans alike. His 87* included five boundaries and eight sixes—a captain’s innings that will be remembered as one of Punjab Kings’ greatest.
Iyer on calmness and intent
In the post-match presentation, Iyer reflected on his approach: “I don’t know, to be honest, I love such big occasions. I always say to myself and to my colleagues in the team that the bigger the occasion, the calmer you are, the better the results. Today was a right example where I was focusing more on my breathing rather than sweating out there.”
“All players need to be assertive and show intent from ball one. The intent was stupendous, and even for me, I had to take some time.”
He added.
Iyer also praised his teammates’ resilience, particularly highlighting how they bounced back after an earlier loss to Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB). “From the other end, the batsmen were striking pretty well. I know the more time I spend on the field, the better I get, and my vision also gets better.”
“Just throw the imagination and also the hiccup in the bin and not think too much about where we went wrong because throughout the season we’ve been playing amazing.”
Mumbai’s batting firepower sets up stiff target
Earlier in the evening, MI posted a formidable 203/6 in their 20 overs. Opener Rohit Sharma fell cheaply for 8, but Jonny Bairstow made a brisk 38 off 24 balls before Vijaykumar Vyshak removed him. By the 10th over, Mumbai had reached 100, largely on the back of two significant contributions of 44 runs each by left-hand batter Tilak Varma (44 off 29) and Suryakumar Yadav (44 off 26). Their partnerships kept the run rate elevated and frustrated PBKS bowlers.
In the death overs, Naman Dhir played a decisive cameo: 37 off just 18 deliveries, including seven boundaries, propelled Mumbai past the 200-run mark. For Punjab, leg-spinner Azmatullah Omarzai claimed 2/43, while Kyle Jamieson (1/30), Marcus Stoinis (1/14), Vyshak (1/30), and Yuzvendra Chahal (1/39) shared the remaining wickets. Jasprit Bumrah, a key bowler for MI, was uncharacteristically expensive—blighted by an off-colour spell that cost 40 runs in his four overs.
Key bowling performances
Despite Mumbai’s strong finish, Punjab’s bowlers struck at crucial intervals. Omarzai’s two wickets prevented MI from posting a mammoth total, and Jamieson’s cleanup of Suryakumar Yadav for 44 helped restrict the run flow. However, the fielding unit missed a few catching opportunities, allowing Mumbai to capitalise in the middle overs.
Conversely, Mumbai’s bowling attack failed to maintain pressure. Ashwani Kumar’s 2/55 was the standout effort, but his medium pace leak in the death overs proved costly. Hardik Pandya and Boult snared a wicket each, but were unable to stem Iyer’s onslaught.
Iyer’s captaincy legacy
With this victory, Punjab Kings have ended an 11-year wait for a finals appearance. Shreyas Iyer’s unbeaten knock and astute leadership marked him as the first skipper to headline three different IPL finalists. As he now sets his sights on a potential second IPL trophy—following his title win with KKR in 2024—Punjab’s dressing room buzzes with belief.
“This is a special moment for our franchise and our fans,” Iyer said. “We’ve worked incredibly hard all season, and to come back from that loss to RCB earlier and produce a performance like today is a testament to our collective spirit. Now, we go into the final with confidence.”
What lies ahead
Punjab Kings will face Royal Challengers Bengaluru in the IPL 2025 final, a match that promises to be a blockbuster. For MI, it is another season of near-misses—continuing a trend of falling short when it matters most. For PBKS, under Iyer’s captaincy, 2025 has already become a season for the ages, and they will enter the final on June 14 as underdogs with momentum and a match-winner at the crease.
Brief Scorecard
- Mumbai Indians: 203/6 in 20 overs (Tilak Varma 44, Suryakumar Yadav 44; Azmatullah Omarzai 2/43)
- Punjab Kings: 207/5 in 19 overs (Shreyas Iyer 87*, Nehal Wadhera 48; Ashwani Kumar 2/55)
With his captain’s knock and cool demeanour under pressure, Shreyas Iyer has firmly stamped his authority as one of the IPL’s rising leadership stars—and given Punjab Kings fans a reason to dream of lifting the trophy for the first time in franchise history.
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