In a pulsating Qualifier 2 clash at the Narendra Modi Stadium, Shreyas Iyer produced a masterclass in chasing under pressure, guiding Punjab Kings (PBKS) to a historic five-wicket win over Mumbai Indians (MI) and into the IPL final for the first time in over a decade. Chasing a daunting 204, PBKS romped home with an over to spare, thanks largely to Iyer’s unbeaten 87 off just 41 balls.
This was a night when the five-time champions Mumbai Indians, known for defending big totals, faltered despite posting 203/6. For the first time in their IPL history, they failed to defend a 200+ score — a stat that underlines the scale of Iyer’s dominance.
Mumbai Start Brightly, Fade Late
MI elected to bat, and they utilized their collective firepower. Jonny Bairstow weighed in with 38 off 24 balls, Tilak Varma 44 off 29 balls, and Suryakumar Yadav 44 off 26 balls, with Naman Dhir smacking 37 off 18 balls to close the innings. There were perturbed passages, but MI lost wickets consistently throughout the innings, which hampered momentum. MI had hopes to reach 220 at one stage but had to settle for 203, which was still a good score, but not enough in the end.
Azmatullah Omarzai (2/43) and Kyle Jamieson (1/30) did the lion’s share of the bowling work for Punjab, and successfully took pace off the ball on a wicket that gave the batters too much to work with. They did their work well enough to ensure MI could never truly ‘run away’ with the match.
Punjab’s Chase: The Shreyas Iyer Show
The chase began shakily with the early dismissals of Prabhsimran Singh and Priyansh Arya. But Shreyas Iyer walked in with calm intent. From the outset, he looked in control, unleashing a repertoire of strokes that combined class, timing, and brute power.
The critical point came in the 13th over when Iyer hit Reece Topley for three consecutive sixes. That over alone doubled Punjab’s win probability — from 25% to 53%. Iyer was ruthless against MI’s best: a ramp over the keeper off Hardik Pandya, a cover smash off a wide yorker from Ashwani Kumar, and ground-hugging steers past backward point off both Boult and Bumrah.
Nehal Wadhera (48 off 29) was an important supporting cast. His counter-attack helped stitch a game-changing 84-run partnership that wrestled momentum firmly toward PBKS.
Jasprit Bumrah, MI’s death-over specialist, was taken for 20 in one over by Josh Inglis earlier, and that rare vulnerability set the tone. Hardik Pandya and Mitchell Santner bowled just two overs each, a tactical call that in hindsight proved costly.
Record-Breaking and Heartbreaking for MI
Suryakumar Yadav made history when he became the leading run-scorer (717) by a non-opener in any T20 tournament, surpassing AB de Villiers’ tally from 2016. However, his feat was lost on Iyer’s fireworks.
Naman Dhir also turned heads with his explosive 37 at the death, but a misjudged fielding error while Punjab was chasing gave Wadhera a lifeline — one that MI would rue deeply.
Iyer the Ice-Man
Iyer’s knock — 87* off 41 balls with 5 fours and 8 sixes — earned him both the Player of the Match and Cricinfo’s MVP (110.53 points). His innings was hailed as one of the finest in IPL knockout history, blending poise and pressure-handling with impeccable shot selection.
Notably, he tamed Trent Boult and Jasprit Bumrah at the death — no small feat — and stayed expressionless as he hit the winning runs. A man who knew the game was his all along.
Final Beckons: A New Champion Awaits
Punjab Kings now advance to the IPL 2025 Final, where they will face Royal Challengers Bengaluru — guaranteeing that a new IPL champion will be crowned this year. For MI, the season ends in heartbreak and reflection, as their long-standing death-over dominance finally met its match.
As for PBKS, led by a sublime Shreyas Iyer, they’re just one win away from cricketing immortality.
Match Scorecard
Mumbai Indians – 203/6 (Tilak 44, SKY 44, Dhir 37; Omarzai 2/43)
Punjab Kings – 207/5 in 19 overs (Iyer 87*, Wadhera 48; Ashwani Kumar 2/55)
Result – PBKS won by 5 wickets
Player of the Match – Shreyas Iyer (PBKS)
