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| @Shreyas Iyer playing a shot during his 87-run innings vs Mi IPL2025 |
An electric match was played at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad between Punjab Kings (PBKS) and Mumbai Indians (MI) on June 1, 2025. Rain held the game back for over two hours, but in the end PBKS completed the chase of 204 runs in 19.4 overs, winning by 5 wickets. Thanks to Captain Shreyas Iyer’s unbeaten 87 and Nehal Wadhera’s important 48, PBKS qualified for the IPL final for only the second time in their history and the first time since 2014, to face Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) on June 3.
Match Overview :
Because of rain, the match was held at 9:45 PM on a field with red soil which is helpful for batters and still played out all 20 overs. PBKS chose to bowl after winning the toss which made the game into a high-scoring battle. Suryakumar Yadav (44/26), Tilak Varma (44/29), Jonny Bairstow (38/24) and Naman Dhir (37/18) helped MI score 203/6. PBKS’ victory was led by Shreyas Iyer’s brilliant knock and backed up by Josh Inglis (38 off 21) and Nehal Wadhera (48 off 29), showing how deep their batting can be.
Mumbai Indians’ hitters managed to score a good total, but it wasn’t invincible :
The conditions helped MI post a big score while batting. It was Rohit Sharma and Jonny Bairstow who started well, but the main scoring came from the middle of MI’s lineup. Suryakumar Yadav scored the most runs for MI in IPL 2025 (673) and played a fluent 44 from 26 balls, using his sweeps to good use. Both Tilak Varma (44 off 29) and Naman Dhir (37 off 18) matched Yadav’s efforts with their own impressive performances. Hardik Pandya, back in the role of a finisher, came out to bat, but MI did not hit a six in the final six overs which was highlighted as an important reason for their loss. Even though they were losing wickets on a frequent basis, MI managed to end with 203/6, giving the other team a tough goal.
Arshdeep Singh and Kyle Jamieson, PBKS’ main bowlers, did not manage to stop MI’s fast-paced batting. Yuzvendra Chahal was brought in after recovering from a wrist problem, but didn’t have a strong effect. Marcus Stoinis took two wickets, but Ashwani Kumar gave away 55 runs which hurt MI. The red surface without grass supported MI batters, but they didn’t pick up speed in the final overs which allowed PBKS to stay in contention.
Punjab Kings’ Chase : Iyer Gets His Due
PBKS ran into trouble at the start of their chase for 204.Trent Boult bowled a short ball to get rid of Prabhsimran Singh (6) and Ashwani Kumar had Priyansh Arya (20 off 10) caught by Hardik Pandya in the mid-off position. Josh Inglis delivered the spark PBKS required, hitting a brilliant 20 from an over bowled by Bumrah (4, 0, 6, 0, 4, 6). Inglis’ quickfire 38 off 21, with two fours and two sixes, got the team going but his dismissal by Bairstow, off Kumar, brought the score to 72/3 after 7.5 overs.
The responsibility was handed over to Shreyas Iyer. After people spoke about his shot choices in the PBKS loss, Iyer struck an 87-run innings with eight maximums. His innings combined power and accuracy and he showed this with a lofted cover drive off Boult and a hoicked six over long-on off Kumar. Hitting a stylish four in his fifty, Iyer shared a 84-run partnership with Nehal Wadhera (48 off 29), a MI player whose experience with the bowlers benefited the team. Although Shashank Singh was out for 2, Iyer continued to stay calm, hitting two sixes in the 19th over from Kumar, bringing down the target to 17 off the last 11 balls. Iyer hit a boundary off Boult to end the chase, as PBKS reached 207/5 off 19 overs.
Defining Moments :
There were key moments that helped PBKS win
- The two-hour delay didn’t affect the pitch’s helpfulness for batting. PBKS benefited from the red-soil surface which was called a “batter’s dream” by The Indian Express, during their aggressive chase.
- After Inglis attacked Bumrah in the fifth over, it became clear that PBKS wanted to overpower MI’s key bowler and score lots of runs.
- His 87 runs in Masterclass were important after his failure in Qualifier 1. His sixes and the way he stayed calm under stress, as he said during the interview, were important to deal with the attackers.
- MI struggled to hit sixes in the last part of the game, so they only scored 203. X points out that PBKS, meanwhile, hit four sixes in the 19th over, making it hard for MI to catch up.
- Wadhera played a key role: Wadhera scored 48 off 29, teaming up with Iyer, to highlight how powerful PBKS can be and how he can make the most of MI’s bowling.
The Road to the Finals :
PBKS’ win means there will be a first IPL champion when they face RCB in the final on June 3, 2025. PBKS, who were number one in the league but lost in Qualifier 1, will depend on Iyer, Inglis and Wadhera to stand up to RCB’s balanced group, especially Mohammed Siraj and Cameron Green. MI failed to win the game, despite their five titles, as they depended too much on Suryakumar and Bumrah and Bumrah’s off day made the difference.
Conclusion :
Shreyas Iyer’s leadership and the great batting of the Punjab Kings made their five-wicket success over Mumbai Indians stand out. Despite early difficulties and a big MI total, PBKS reached 204 thanks to Iyer’s 87* and Wadhera’s 48. The rain-caused delay of the game, played on a batsman-friendly pitch, showed that PBKS could bounce back from their Qualifier 1 defeat. Before the final, PBKS look to keep their good form and hope to win their first IPL title, while MI consider their season of almost reaching the top. This game will be seen as a stepping stone in PBKS’ attempt to win the IPL.
Brief Scores :
MI innings : 203/6 (20 Overs) Tilak Varma 44 of 29 Balls (2 Fours And 2 Sixes), Suryakumar Yadav 44 off 26 (4 Fours And 3 Sixes).
PBKS Bowling : Azmatullah Omarzai 2/43 (4 Overs), Kyle Jamieson 1/30 (4 Overs)
PBKS Innings : Shreyas Iyer 87* off 41 Balls (5 Fours And 8 Sixes), Nehal Wadhera 48 off 29 Balls (4 Fours And 2 Sixes).
MI Bowlings : Ashwani Kumar 2/55 (4 Overs), Hardik Pandya 1/19 (2 Overs)
Player of the match : Shreyas Iyer
Result : Punjab Kings won by 5 Wickets.
