The Indian Premier League will have a new champion in 2025. Punjab Kings stormed into the final for only the second time in their 18-year history after outclassing five-time champions Mumbai Indians in Qualifier 2 on Sunday, 1 June. Shreyas Iyer’s men will face Royal Challengers Bengaluru in the final on 3 June.
“We have lost the battle, but not the war,” said a defiant Shreyas Iyer after Punjab Kings lost the IPL 2025 Qualifier 1 on Wednesday. It had been a hammering at the hands of Royal Challengers Bengaluru, as Punjab paid the price for overdoing the aggressive approach that had otherwise served them well, on a spicy pitch in Mullanpur. Shreyas’s words seemed somewhat over-the-top, considering the comprehensive nature of that defeat.
Yet it was Shreyas Iyer who led from the front when it mattered most, helping Punjab Kings seize their second chance to reach the final. In Qualifier 2 against Mumbai Indians, the skipper produced one of his finest innings of the tournament — an unbeaten 87 off just 41 balls — to help Punjab chase down 204 with six deliveries to spare. His trademark bravado and flair were on full display as he launched towering sixes, dug out Jasprit Bumrah’s yorkers, and wrested the match from Mumbai’s grasp.
Shreyas smashed eight sixes and five boundaries in his 41-ball 87, scoring at a strike rate of 212.80 in what was arguably the innings of the season. He, along with the uncapped Nehal Wadhera, stitched together a game-changing 84-run partnership for the fourth wicket off just 47 deliveries.
Fittingly, it was Shreyas who ended one of the IPL’s most long-standing and seemingly unbreakable records — successfully chasing 200 against Mumbai Indians. It had never been done before in the tournament’s history, and the Punjab Kings skipper sent a clear warning to RCB ahead of the grand final.
Shreyas Iyer will lead Punjab Kings once again against RCB, this time in the big final where sparks will fly. Punjab ended their 11-year wait for a place in the final, and they’ve done it in style, playing fearless cricket and showcasing their remarkable resilience to bounce back from setbacks.
