Punjab Kings (PBKS) have confirmed their place in the IPL 2025 playoffs. With a breathless 10-run win over Rajasthan Royals (RR) on Sunday. This victory was possible thanks to Punjab's explosive batting and magical performance of spin. In this match, Punjab captain Shreyas Iyer has engraved his name in the pages of history.
Shreyas is the first captain to take three different franchises to the playoffs.
Shreyas Iyer's historic feat Shreyas Iyer has created a unique record by leading Punjab in his first season. Earlier, he took Delhi Capitals and Kolkata Knight Riders to the playoffs in 2024. He is one of the five players to lead three IPL franchises. This list includes Steve Smith, Kumar Sangakkara, Mahela Jayawardene and Ajinkya Rahane. However, he is only the second player to achieve this feat as a full-time captain. The first was Sangakkara. Punjab's performance after this record was also impressive.
Punjab's devastating batting won the toss and elected to bat first, Punjab Kings scored a huge score of 219/5. Mahipal Lomror's aggressive 70 and Shashank Singh's late batting played a key role in reaching this score. Shreyas Iyer played a quick innings of 30 runs and stabilized the team's innings in the middle overs. Rajasthan's bowlers were frustrated in front of Punjab's batting onslaught. Especially Shashank's stormy sixes in the death overs completely upset them.
Rajasthan's chase failed, Brar's spin magic got Rajasthan Royals off to a devastating start as they came out to bat. Yashaswi Jaiswal (50 off 25 balls) and Vaibhav Suryavanshi (40 off 15 balls) scored 76 runs in just five overs. However, Punjab spinner Karan Brar's three-pronged strike turned the tide of the match by dismissing Suryavanshi, Jaiswal and the dangerous Jos Buttler. Despite a late fight from Riyan Parag, Rajasthan were reduced to 209/7, missing out on victory by just 10 runs.
Punjab's win in the play-off race took Punjab Kings level with Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) on 17 points. However, RCB are second on the points table due to their superior net run rate. Punjab Kings will be desperate to strengthen their position in the coming matches. Under the leadership of Shreyas Iyer, a combination of young talent and experienced players, Punjab has emerged as a strong contender for the title in this year's IPL.
