Daijiworld Media Network – Ahmedabad

Ahmedabad, Jun 2: Mumbai Indians' IPL 2025 campaign came to a crashing halt as Shreyas Iyer delivered one of the finest playoff knocks in tournament history, powering Punjab Kings into the final with an unbeaten 87 off 41 balls.

Chasing a massive 204, Iyer smashed eight towering sixes, including four in a blistering 19th over off Ashwani Kumar, as Punjab clinched victory with an over to spare. This marked the first time an opponent chased down a 200-plus total against MI, ending a proud franchise record.

MI skipper Hardik Pandya credited Iyer's fearless knock. “Shreyas took his chances and played some outstanding shots. He kept his calm and put us under pressure,” said Pandya after the loss.

While MI's batting unit posted a competitive 203 on a surface where 220 was considered par, Pandya admitted his bowlers couldn’t execute under pressure. “It was about bowling the right lengths and using the right bowlers at the right time. Maybe I could have managed things better,” he added.

Much focus fell on Jasprit Bumrah’s late entry into the attack. He was brought in only in the 18th over with PBKS needing 31 off 18. Though he gave away just 8 runs, the damage had already been done.

“Maybe bringing Bumrah earlier could have helped,” said Pandya. “But Boom is someone who can change the game even in the last three overs. It just didn’t happen tonight.”

Josh Inglis’ aggressive start and Bumrah’s underwhelming performance added to MI’s woes as Punjab sealed their first-ever IPL final clash against Royal Challengers Bengaluru—guaranteeing a new champion this season.

With the loss, Mumbai now turn their focus to IPL 2026, hoping to bounce back stronger.