The69th match of the 2025 Indian Premier League, played on May 26, had Punjab Kings defeat Mumbai Indians by seven wickets at the Sawai Mansingh Stadium in Jaipur. Owing to this win, PBKS finished in the top two of the points table, qualifying for Qualifier 1 and two chances to reach the final. Still, despite playing well in the season, MI found themselves going through the Eliminator round for a chance at a sixth IPL title. PBKS excelled with the bat, thanks to Josh Inglis and Priyansh Arya’s performance and kept MI under check with their bowlers. Following is a close look at the match, describing notable plays, how teams played and what it means for the coming playoffs.
Match Overview :
Both teams were battling each other to possibly finish among the top two in a closely fought IPL 2025 points table. With an average first-innings score of 201 at Sawai Mansingh Stadium, the Spring Carnival series in Jaipur seemed destined to produce lots of runs. Pandya’s side, MI, was batting first after the toss and managed to set just 184/7. At the end, both captains thought the total wasn’t good enough for real competition. Reaching 185 was no trouble for PBKS, who closed the innings on 187/3 in just 18.3 overs, thanks in large part to a brilliant 109-run effort by Arya and Inglis.
The Mumbai Indians Had a Competitive Inning with a Lackluster Total :
Suryakumar Yadav, Hardik Pandya and Will Jacks made good starts, but MI couldn’t fully take advantage of the good batting conditions. Rickelton (27) and Rohit (24) got their team off to a careful start, but only managed to score a little before being dismissed.Will Jacks and Tilak Varma were put out by Vijaykumar Vyshak, helping keep MI’s momentum down.
He helped steady the team’s score with a half-century made from 39 balls, coincidentally reaching sixes off Kyle Jamieson by hitting one into long-on. Even so, Hardik Pandya’s quick 26 off 15 made MI’s play more lively for a brief stretch, before he was sent back to the pavilion. When he fell caught off an outside edge to Marco Jansen, it became clear MI weren’t scoring enough at the end of the game. Though Naman Dhir (20 off 11) brought SUT some late support, the bowlers, especially Arshdeep Singh (2/28) and Jansen (2/34) from PBKS, never let them relax. Sharp bowling by Arshdeep and Jansen helped keep MI to 184/7 and Suryakumar said at the 10th over that the target was “short by about 10-15 runs,” a view shared by Pandya after the match.Punjab Kings’ Chase victors: Inglis and Arya dazzled everyone.
PBKS lost Prabhsimran Singh for 13 due to a catch and bowl from Bumrah in the powerplay. But the partnership formed by Josh Inglis and Priyansh Arya at the second wicket gave PBKS a clear advantage in the match. Together, the two players brought in experienced work and natural enthusiasm and hit out 109 runs against MI’s bowling.
Inglis, chosen as Player of the Match, impressed by hitting 73 from 42 bat swipes, knocking off four fours and a six. He seemed to score a lot near the boundary, especially against Santner, making those moments stand out. With help from Arya’s 62 runs off 35 balls, Inglis had an explosive start. The combination of left-hand and right-hand bowling made it hard for MI to plan their bowling attacks, according to Inglis after the game. We aimed to do that, played cleverly.
Both Jasprit Bumrah and Trent Boult from MI did not manage to gain rhythm with their bowling. In Brisbane, Saini gave up two sixes to Aaron Finch and Bumrah made an error bowing a full toss that was swatted cleanly by Inglis. When Santner bowled Inglis and dismissed him lbw through the MI review, PBKS were just 36 away from the target with 30 balls in hand. With nine balls remaining, Nehal Wadhera (1 not out) and captain Shreyas Iyer (14 not out, hitting a final six off Boult) took PBKS to victory and a seven-wicket win. With six over long-on, Iyer added the final touches to PBKS’s convincing win.
Excellent from Top Players and Key Strategy Insights :
Inglis and Arya built the base for the team’s successful chase. Punjab Kings’ depth in batting was clear when Inglis and Arya battled against MI’s highly praised bowling in the death overs. Shreyas Iyer credited Arya for a strong start and said the team’s young players such as Akshay and Sarthak, showed courage and performed well after great practice sessions.
PBKS Bowlers: The PBKS bowlers made sure MI struggled during the periods that usually decide games. MI’s drive was stopped after Vijaykumar Vyshak bowled out Jacks and Varma. This gave MI only 171 to defend with Arshdeep Singh and Henrik giving key variations and Jansen keeping things accurate. According to PBKS coach Ricky Ponting, all the hard work as a team is essential to achieve success.
Difficult Times for MI: MI couldn’t deliver in moments that mattered, said Pandya. Backing Ashwini instead of Karn Sharma for Impact Player made people question the team and Pandya explained Ashwini’s selection but admitted the bowlers didn’t bowl well enough.
Thoughts After the Game and What the Playoffs Mean :
Iyer, who led his team into the playoffs for the first time since 2014, believes the positive atmosphere developed in the dressing room by coach Ricky Ponting was key to their achievements. Mohan praised the work of youngsters Arya and Prabhsimran Singh, who have both made significant contributions this season and said he admires Inglis for adjusting to different batting spots. He showed he also feels proud of the team reaching the top two, especially because of their thorough preparation prior to the auction.
MI’s loss was a disappointment, but it didn’t cause a major disaster. Hardik Pandya believed it was just a bump in the road and encouraged the team to get ready for the Eliminator. Only winning once in the last six years in Jaipur and not being able to defeat top four teams this season showed where MI can get better. When Suryakumar said they were a bit short on runs, he was right, because PBKS achieved the target without much difficulty.
The win allowed PBKS to take part in Qualifier 1, with two opportunities to make it to the final. MI had to endure a tough Eliminator stage and despite fans on X feeling let down, they kept hoping for a record sixth title. It also showed how Iyer and Ponting have brought PBKS back from a long time outside the playoffs.
Conclusion :
Having defeated MI by seven wickets on May 26, 2025, their had showed that PBKS has both a strong squad and smart thinking. Because of strong bowling from Inglis and Arya, MI was outplayed by a disciplined partnership that fired on all cylinders. As PBKS marked a top-two spot, Mumbai Indians came together for the Eliminator with awareness of the tough games to come.
Brief Scores :
MI Innings : 187/7 (20 Overs) Suryakumar Yadav 57 off 39 Balls (6 Fours And 2 Sixes), Ryan Rickelton 27 off 20 Balls ( 5 Fours).
PBKS Bowling : Arshdeep Singh 2/28 (4 Overs), Marco Jansen 2/34 (4 Overs).
PBKS Innings : Josh Inglish 73 off 42 Balls (9 Fours And 3 Sixes), Priyansh Arya 62 off 35 Balls (9 Fours And 2 Sixes).
MI Bowling : Mitchell Santner 2/41 (4 Overs), Jasprit Bumrah 1/23 (4 Overs).
Player of the Match : Josh Inglish
Result : Punjab Kings Won by 7 Wickets.
Tags:
Inglis's magnificent 73