Mumbai Indians’ campaign in the Indian Premier League 2025 came to an end with a dramatic and disappointing loss to Punjab Kings in Qualifier 2. Despite showing resilience after a shaky start to the season and managing to finish fourth in the standings, MI’s pursuit of a sixth title was cut short. They had earlier knocked out Gujarat Titans in the Eliminator but couldn’t carry the momentum into the high-stakes clash on Sunday night at the Narendra Modi Stadium.
In the intense knockout fixture, MI batted first and put up a strong total of 203 for 6, led by identical scores of 44 from both Suryakumar Yadav and Tilak Varma, along with a valuable 38-run contribution from Jonny Bairstow.
However, their effort was overshadowed by Punjab Kings’ assertive chase. After an early setback, PBKS rallied through a remarkable innings from captain Shreyas Iyer, who remained unbeaten on 87 from just 41 balls, steering his team to victory with an over to spare. This win booked their place in the final against Royal Challengers Bengaluru, marking the fourth meeting between these two teams this season.
The aftermath of the loss saw further disappointment for MI as the team was penalised for a slow over-rate — their third such offence in the tournament. Hardik Pandya was fined Rs 30 lakh for breaching the IPL’s Code of Conduct, while the remaining players, including the Impact Player, received individual fines of either Rs 12 lakh or half of their match fees, depending on which was lower.
Hardik Pandya, reflecting on the match, acknowledged Shreyas Iyer’s commanding performance as the key difference. He credited the Punjab captain for taking calculated risks and executing big shots at crucial moments. While he believed MI’s total was competitive, he admitted that defending it required precise bowling execution, something the team lacked in such a pivotal encounter.
Adding to the frustration, this latest loss marked MI’s sixth straight defeat at the Ahmedabad venue, where their only win dates back to 2014 against Rajasthan Royals.
