Ahmedabad: The wait is over — after 11 long years, Punjab Kings are back in the IPL final! With a stunning, high-voltage victory over Mumbai Indians in the second qualifier, Punjab have not only sealed their spot in the grand finale but also ended Mumbai’s hopes of lifting a record sixth title.
The rain-delayed clash, which began two hours late, was nothing short of electrifying. Had rain washed out the match, Mumbai would have missed out on the final by default — and fate didn’t favour them this time either. Sent in to bat, Mumbai put up a strong total of 203/6 in 20 overs.
But Punjab had other plans. In a commanding chase, they overhauled the target with five wickets in hand and six balls to spare. The hero of the night? Shreyas Iyer — delivering a masterclass with an unbeaten 87 off just 41 balls, smashing five fours and eight massive sixes. Despite early setbacks with Prabhsimran Singh (6) and Shashank Singh (2) falling cheaply, the rest of the batting line-up held firm.
Mumbai’s bowling effort saw Ashwin Kumar take two wickets, while Trent Boult and Hardik Pandya claimed one apiece — but none could stop Punjab’s charge.
Having suffered a crushing defeat against Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) in the first qualifier, Punjab now have the perfect shot at revenge. They’ll meet RCB once again — this time, with everything on the line — in Tuesday’s final.
It’s now guaranteed: the IPL 2025 trophy will have a brand new owner. Neither Punjab Kings nor RCB have ever won the title — making this final a historic battle for first-time glory.
