IPL 2025: Josh Inglis, Priyansh Arya Guide PBKS to Qualifier 1, Send MI to Eliminator

Sparkling half-centuries from Josh Inglis and Priyansh Arya powered Punjab Kings into the first qualifier of IPL 2025, as they cruised to a seven-wicket victory over Mumbai Indians in their final league game in Jaipur. Chasing a target of 185, PBKS made it look easy and now enjoy the advantage of two opportunities to reach the final. Despite already securing a playoff berth, this defeat means Mumbai Indians will feature in the Eliminator.

Punjab Kings effectively sealed the contest during the middle overs with a commanding batting display. Both ends contributed to the scoring as Inglis and Arya launched a counterattack that left MI reeling. Inglis led the charge after the powerplay, with young Arya joining the onslaught soon after. In contrast, MI faltered in the same period, losing wickets at regular intervals and failing to build any meaningful momentum.

The contrast between Mumbai Indians and Punjab Kings during the middle overs was stark and ultimately decisive. While MI managed 79 runs for the loss of three wickets at a run rate of 8.77, PBKS raced to 99 for just one wicket, scoring at an impressive 11 runs per over. The boundary count further highlighted the gap—MI hit 6 fours and 3 sixes, whereas PBKS smashed 11 fours and 4 sixes, asserting complete dominance in that phase.

Evenly Matched Powerplay Sets the Tone

The powerplay was a tightly contested battle with no clear dominance from either side. Ryan Rickelton provided an early spark for Mumbai Indians, cracking three boundaries in the first two overs. However, Marco Jansen’s disciplined bowling kept MI in check, preventing any early runaway momentum.

Rickelton briefly reignited the scoring with a pair of fours off Arshdeep Singh, followed by a stylish six and four from Rohit Sharma off Harpreet Brar. Just as MI looked to take charge, PBKS struck back—Jansen delivered a tidy over and removed the in-form Rickelton to finish the phase on a strong note. With momentum in the balance and a need for acceleration, MI pushed Suryakumar Yadav up the order, ahead of Will Jacks.

Vyshak Strikes for Punjab, but Suryakumar Stays Steady

After a cautious start, Suryakumar Yadav broke free by taking on Kyle Jamieson—stepping across and launching him for a six, followed by a couple of crisp boundaries to collect 15 runs from the over. However, just as Mumbai looked to build momentum, Punjab Kings struck back.

Rohit Sharma mistimed a lofted shot to long-on and fell for 24, and Tilak Varma’s struggles continued as he edged one to third man. Will Jacks entered with intent, finding the boundary twice in his first three balls and even sending Vyshak Vijaykumar over the ropes. But Vyshak had the final word, deceiving Jacks with a well-disguised knuckleball to dismiss him. Hardik Pandya made a brisk start, while Suryakumar remained composed at the crease, anchoring the innings and once again emerging as MI’s key figure heading into the death overs.

Momentum Swings in Final Overs as Kings and Mumbai Trade Blows

As expected, Suryakumar Yadav and Hardik Pandya began the death overs with intent, each clearing the boundary to keep Mumbai Indians on course for a strong finish. However, Punjab Kings landed a crucial blow when Marco Jansen got one to shape away from Hardik, drawing an edge through to the keeper. Kyle Jamieson followed up with a superb 18th over, using slower deliveries to great effect and conceding just five runs.

Arshdeep Singh then delivered a masterclass at the death, giving away only three runs and claiming two wickets in a brilliant final over. Sandwiched between those disciplined spells was a costly over from Vyshak Vijaykumar—Naman Dhir struck two sixes and Suryakumar added a pair of boundaries, notching up a gritty half-century. That over proved vital, helping MI push their total to a competitive 184, which might have looked significantly less without the late burst.

Mumbai Indians Nail Their Bowling Strategy

On a pitch offering assistance, Mumbai Indians executed their bowling plans to perfection by fielding second—an advantage that allowed them to assess conditions and tailor their approach accordingly. Observing how effective the slower deliveries had been, MI deployed them right from the start.

The tactic worked immediately, as Prabhsimran Singh struggled to get going, facing a string of dot balls despite Priyansh Arya looking fluent at the other end. The pressure built by Deepak Chahar’s variations eventually paid off when Jasprit Bumrah dismissed Prabhsimran with a well-directed off-cutter. Arya and Josh Inglis provided some relief in the final over of the powerplay, each finding the boundary to lift the run rate closer to 8, keeping PBKS in touch with the required rate.

Century Stand Breaks Mumbai’s Back

By the end of the middle overs, the match had firmly tilted in Punjab Kings’ favour. While runs were hard to come by in the powerplay, the middle phase saw them arrive in a flood. Josh Inglis set the tone with two early sixes, and Priyansh Arya followed up with a pair of boundaries. Inglis then completely shifted the momentum when he unleashed a flurry of shots against Ashwani Kumar, dispatching him for three consecutive fours.

The duo brought up their half-centuries within three balls of each other, with Arya reaching his milestone in style by launching Hardik Pandya over the ropes. Arya’s confidence grew as he even took on Jasprit Bumrah, pulling a short ball for six. With boundaries coming at will, PBKS surged ahead, their victory looking inevitable. The 100-run partnership was finally broken in the last over of the phase when Arya mistimed a shot off Mitchell Santner and was caught near the boundary—but by then, the damage had been done.

Shreyas Seals the Deal in Style for Punjab Kings

With just 39 runs required from the final five overs, Mumbai Indians were hoping for a miracle—but none came. Josh Inglis and Shreyas Iyer kept their composure, steering Punjab Kings comfortably towards the target.

Although Inglis fell for a well-made 73 before the finish line, Shreyas ensured there were no hiccups. He hammered three sixes in four balls to wrap up the chase emphatically, sealing a dominant seven-wicket win with nine deliveries to spare.

Brief Scores

Mumbai Indians: 184/7 in 20 overs (Suryakumar Yadav 57; Arshdeep Singh 2/28, Marco Jansen 2/34)
Punjab Kings: 187/3 in 18.3 overs (Josh Inglis 73, Priyansh Arya 62; Mitchell Santner 2/21)
Result: Punjab Kings won by 7 wickets.

What’s Next for Mumbai Indians and Punjab Kings?

Both sides now shift focus to Mullanpur. While qualification was already confirmed, Punjab Kings now have a golden opportunity to reach their first IPL final since 2014, with the first qualifier set to take place in front of their home crowd. As for Mumbai Indians, they await their opponent in the Eliminator—either Royal Challengers Bangalore or Gujarat Titans. The equation is simple: if RCB beat LSG tomorrow, they’ll face PBKS in Qualifier 1, pushing MI into a clash with GT. If RCB lose, they’ll go head-to-head with Mumbai in the Eliminator.

Read More: IPL 2025: LSG vs RCB Preview, Prediction, Starting XI and Where To Watch The Match LIVE

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