Josh Inglis and Priyansh Arya propel Punjab Kings into Qualifier 1
Josh Inglis and Priyansh Arya propel Punjab Kings into Qualifier 1
IPL 2025: Punjab secure top two spot after 11 years, send Mumbai to Eliminator, beat by 7 wickets.
Josh Inglis and Priyansh Arya delivered match-winning knocks to secure Punjab Kings' spot in Qualifier 1 of IPL 2025. Their stunning half-centuries powered PBKS to a comfortable seven-wicket win over Mumbai Indians in their final league match in Jaipur. Chasing 185, Punjab Kings made the target look easy, ensuring they now have two chances to reach the final. Meanwhile, Mumbai Indians, who had already secured a playoff berth, will now compete in the Eliminator after this defeat.
Mumbai Indian’s Innings
Mumbai Indians started strong in the powerplay, with Ryan Rickelton and Rohit Sharma finding the boundaries early. However, Marco Jansen kept things in check, and PBKS finished the phase well by dismissing Rickelton.
In the middle overs, Suryakumar Yadav took charge, smashing Kyle Jamieson for a six and two fours. Rohit and Tilak Varma fell quickly, but Will Jacks showed intent before getting deceived by Vyshak. Hardik Pandya joined Suryakumar, who remained MI’s key batter heading into the final phase.
The death overs saw both teams land big blows. Hardik and Suryakumar started aggressively, but Jansen removed Hardik with a clever delivery. Jamieson bowled a tight over, while Arshdeep Singh finished brilliantly, conceding just three runs and taking two wickets. Despite a late push from Naman Dhir and Suryakumar, MI ended at 184/7, setting up a chase for PBKS.
Punjab Kings’ Innings
Mumbai Indians started strong with smart tactics in the powerplay, using slower deliveries to trouble PBKS batters. Prabhsimran Singh struggled early, and Jasprit Bumrah eventually dismissed him with an off-cutter. Priyansh Arya and Josh Inglis kept the scoreboard ticking, ensuring a decent run rate.
The middle overs completely shifted the game in PBKS' favour. Inglis and Arya dominated, smashing boundaries at will. Inglis tore into Ashwani Kumar with three consecutive fours, while Arya took on Bumrah with a massive six. Both batters reached their fifties in quick succession, putting PBKS in a commanding position. Mitchell Santner finally broke the partnership, dismissing Arya.
With just 39 runs needed in the final five overs, PBKS cruised to victory. Inglis fell for 73, but Shreyas Iyer finished the job in style, smashing three sixes in four balls to seal a comfortable win with nine balls to spare.