New Delhi: In a thrilling showdown in Qualifier 2, it was the Shreyas Iyer-led Punjab Kings who rose to the challenge and sent five-time Indian Premier League (IPL) champions Mumbai Indians packing with a five-wicket win.
Iyer led from the front with a blazing 87 off just 41 balls, earning widespread acclaim. On social media, fans are calling him ‘Sarpanch Sahab’—a nickname they give him after he took charge of the Punjab Kings as its captain.
Now, Punjab, who last played an IPL final in 2014, will lock horns with four-time finalists Royal Challengers Bengaluru on 3 June for the title clash. None of the two sides has won an IPL title yet.
A qualifier of records
The Punjab Kings won the toss and opted to bowl. But the contest began on a damp note with rain causing a delay. But once the skies cleared, there were no more disruptions and the spectators were treated to a pulsating match.
The Mumbai Indians got off to a decent start despite losing Rohit Sharma early. Jonny Bairstow (38 off 24) put together a 51-run stand with Tilak Varma, who later built a crucial 72-run partnership with Suryakumar Yadav.
Aura level❤️🔥 pic.twitter.com/BmXZdoqIhV
— Punjab Kings (@PunjabKingsIPL) June 1, 2025
Towards the end, Naman Dhir’s fiery cameo—37 off just 18 —gave the Mumbai Indians a late flourish, setting Punjab a challenging target of 204. No team in the history of IPL playoffs has ever chased down a 200+ score.
The highest record was the Gujarat Titans’ 189-run chase against the Rajasthan Royals in Qualifier 1 of IPL 2022.
For Punjab, Azmatullah Omarzai delivered the standout bowling performance with figures of 2/43. Yuzvendra Chahal (1/39), Vyshak Vijaykumar (1/30), and Kyle Jamieson (1/30) also chipped in with key wickets.
Chasing 204 in a high-stakes match, Punjab Kings crossed the line with an over to spare and five wickets in hand.
Punjab’s pursuit began with Josh Inglis smashing 38 off 21 balls. His brutal 20-run off a Jasprit Bumrah over was surely a highlight. Nehal Wadhera also contributed a valuable 48 off just 29 before falling to Mitchell Santner.
It was not only the first time a team chased down over 200 against the Mumbai Indians in playoffs. It was also the ninth successful 200+ chase of IPL 2025—the most in any single edition so far.
Iyer’s 87 not out, consisting of 5 fours and 8 sixes was a knock of pure delight for the fans.
With this win, Iyer got his name scripted in the history books as he became the first-ever captain to lead three different franchises to the final —the Delhi Capitals in 2020, Kolkata Knight Riders in 2024, and now the Punjab Kings.
No other captain has achieved this feat with more than one team, further cementing Iyer’s leadership credentials in the world’s best franchise tournament.
‘Sarpanch saab’
Shreyas Iyer bagged the ‘Man of the Match’ award for his blazing innings that powered his team into the final. Social media erupted. Fans applauded their ‘Sarpanch Saab’, hailing his consistently stellar performances over the years.
“This is his era,” declared a popular sports page on Instagram — and few would disagree.
Mumbai Indians’ captain Hardik Pandya reacts after his team’s defeat against Punjab Kings in the Qualifier 2 Sunday | ANI
Some even called him the “serial trophy winner”. Since early 2024, Iyer has racked up an enviable collection of silverware: the IPL 2024 trophy with the Kolkata Knight Riders, the Irani Cup, the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy (all three as captains), and the Champions Trophy, in which he played key role as a middle-order batter.
In the ongoing edition of the IPL, Iyer has been relentless. He’s piled on 603 runs in 16 matches at an average of 58.82, with six half-centuries.
(Edited by Sugita Katyal)
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