PBKS Knock MI Out to Reach IPL Final After 11 Years, to Face RCB for Maiden Title
The Punjab Kings (PBKS) have reached the final of the Indian Premier League (IPL) after 11 years, defeating the five-time champions Mumbai Indians (MI) by five wickets in IPL 2025 Qualifier 2 at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad. The PBKS will now face the Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) in the final on Tuesday, with both teams eyeing their maiden IPL title.
The PBKS, led by captain Mayank Agarwal, won the toss and elected to bowl first. MI’s opening batsmen, Rohit Sharma and Ishan Kishan, started off strongly, adding 50 runs in the first 5 overs. However, the PBKS bowlers soon got into the act, with Kagiso Rabada and Arshdeep Singh taking two wickets each to reduce MI to 83/4 in the 12th over.
MI’s middle-order batsmen, including Suryakumar Yadav and Tim David, tried to rebuild the innings, but the PBKS bowlers continued to put pressure on them. Despite losing wickets, MI managed to post a total of 203/6 in their 20 overs, thanks to a late flourish by David, who scored 35 off 24 balls.
Chasing a target of 204, the PBKS openers, Shikhar Dhawan and Jonny Bairstow, got off to a cautious start, adding 25 runs in the first 4 overs. However, the PBKS batsmen soon accelerated, with Dhawan scoring 65 off 48 balls and Bairstow contributing 44 off 31 balls.
The PBKS required 42 runs off the last 4 overs, which was achieved with ease, thanks to some explosive hitting by the lower order batsmen. The PBKS reached the target of 204 in 19 overs, with 7 balls to spare, to knock MI out of the tournament.
The PBKS will now face the RCB in the final, which will be played on Tuesday at the same venue. The RCB, led by captain Faf du Plessis, have had a remarkable run in the tournament, winning 8 out of their 10 matches in the league stage. They defeated the Delhi Capitals by 7 wickets in the first Qualifier to reach the final.
The PBKS, on the other hand, have had a rollercoaster ride in the tournament, winning 5 out of their 10 matches in the league stage. However, they have shown great character and resilience to reach the final, defeating the Sunrisers Hyderabad by 4 wickets in the Eliminator and now knocking out MI in Qualifier 2.
The final between the PBKS and RCB will be a closely contested match, with both teams having a strong squad and some world-class players. The PBKS will be looking to win their maiden IPL title, while the RCB will be eyeing their second title after their victorious campaign in 2016.
In conclusion, the PBKS have done the impossible to reach the final of the IPL, defeating the five-time champions MI in a thrilling match. They will now face the RCB in the final, with both teams eyeing their maiden IPL title. The stage is set for a thrilling finale to the tournament, and cricket fans are eagerly waiting to see which team will lift the trophy on Tuesday.
