IPL 2025: PBKS secures top-two finish for first time in 11 years after seven-wicket win over MI

Jaipur (Rajasthan) [India], May 26 (ANI): Punjab Kings (PBKS) secured a spot in the top two of the IPL points table for the first time in 11 years after a commanding seven-wicket victory over Mumbai Indians (MI) on Monday at the Sawai Mansingh Stadium in Jaipur.
Chasing a target of 185, PBKS were led by impressive fifties from Priyansh Arya and Josh Inglis, who anchored the innings and guided their team to a comfortable win.
This result means PBKS will be at the top of the IPL points table and will play Qualifier 1, while MI will play Eliminator 1.
Priyansh Arya and Prabhsimran Singh opened the innings for PBKS. Both batters started off steadily, as MI bowlers conceded only 18 runs in the first three overs. Prabhsimran was dropped in the fourth over off Deepak Chahar by impact player Ashwani Kumar.
However, veteran bowler Jasprit Bumrah removed him in the following over for 13. Josh Inglis joined Arya in the middle. PBKS finished their power-play on 47/1: Priyansh Arya 24 (12), Josh Inglis 8 (8).
The duo of Inglis and Arya built their 50-run partnership in just 29 balls. After 10 overs, PBKS was 89/1: Josh Inglis 35 (23), Priyansh Arya 37 (21). Inglis took on Ashwani Kumar in the 11th over, smashing him for three back-to-back boundaries.
Inglis scored his maiden IPL fifty in the 12th over off just 30 balls, and his partner, Arya, also completed his fifty in the same over. The duo added 100 runs for the second wicket in the 14th over.
Mitchell Santner removed Arya in the following over for 62 (35), smashed nine fours and two sixes, and PBKS skipper Shreyas Iyer joined Inglis in the middle.
PBKS required 39 runs in the last five overs. After 16 overs, PBKS were 158-2, Shreyas Iyer 9 (7), Josh Inglis 64 (38). Santner removed Inglis for 73 (42).
Nehal Wadhera joined the PBKS skipper in the middle. Shreyas Iyer finished off in style, smashing a six off Trent Boult in the 19th over.
Mitchell Santner (2/41) and Jasprit Bumrah (1/23) were the only MI bowlers who grabbed wickets.
Earlier in the match, a hard-fought fifty from Suryakumar Yadav and a vital cameo from Naman Dhir powered Mumbai Indians (MI) to 184/6 in 20 overs against Punjab Kings (PBKS).
Rohit Sharma and Ryan Rickleton opened the innings for MI. The duo started off steadily as they added only 23 in the first three overs. Rohit finally opened his arms in the 5th over, smashing PBKS spinner Harpreet Brar for a six and four.
Rickleton was removed by Marco Jansen for 27 in the last over of the power-play, and Suryakumar Yadav joined Rohit in the middle. MI finished their power-play on 52/1, Suryakumar Yadav 5 (4), Rohit Sharma 17 (12).
Rohit Sharma's struggle in the middle ended after Brar removed him in the 10th over, for 24. Rohit Sharma was 43 runs short of completing 7000 IPL runs.
Tilak Varma joined Suryakumar in the middle. At the midway, the Mumbai Indians were 83-2, Suryakumar Yadav 28(17), and Tilak Varma 1 (2). Vijaykumar Vyshak removed Varma in the following over for 1, and Will Jacks joined SKY in the middle.
Mumbai reached 100 in the 12th over. Jacks tried to increase the batting run rate but was dismissed for 17 off 9 balls. MI skipper Hardik Pandya joined Suryakumar in the middle.
Vyshak dropped a caught and bowl chance of Hardik Pandya on zero. The duo of Hardik and Suryakumar took on PBKS seamer Kyle Jamieson in the 16th over, smashing him for 13 runs.
Marco Jansen removed the MI skipper after getting smashed for a six on the first of his over. Hardik made 26 off 15 balls, and Naman Dhir joined Suryakumar in the middle.
Dhir smashed Vyshak for two sixes on his initial two balls in the 19th over, and Suryakumar Yadav completed his fifth fifty of this season in the same over.
The duo smashed 23 runs off Vyshak. Arshdeep Singh removed Naman Dhir in the last over, for 20. Arshdeep, Jansen, and Vyshak took two wickets each, while spinner Harpreet Brar took a wicket.
Brief score: Mumbai Indians 184/6 in 20 overs (Suryakumar Yadav 57, Ryan Rickelton 27; Arshdeep Singh (2/28) vs Punjab Kings 187/3 in 18.3 overs. (Josh Inglis 73, Priyansh Arya 62; Mitchell Santner (2/41). (ANI)