IPL 2025: Punjab Kings Road to Playoffs

Punjab Kings will take on Royal Challengers Bengaluru in Qualifier 1 of IPL 2025 on May 29. With the winner of the game earning a direct spot in the final, the loser will get a second shot at the title decider.By reaching the playoffs this season, PBKS have ended an 11-year drought for themselves. They last time they made the final-four was in 2014, where they - in their avatar as Kings XI Punjab - topped the standings in similar fashion.

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As the playoff stage gets underway on Thursday, here's a look at how the Shreyas Iyer-led franchise made the knockouts.1. PBKS vs GT (PBKS won by 11 runs)

Punjab Kings got off to a winning start in the 2025 season in a high-scoring affair against Gujarat Titans. Putting up 243/5 on the board, GT faltered in the chase, falling short of the target by 11 runs. PBKS's massive total was largely owed to captain Shreyas Iyer's unbeaten 97 from 42 deliveries and a late show from Shashank Singh, scoring 44 from just 16 balls.

Iyer was named Player of the Match for his powerful knock.

2. LSG vs PBKS (PBKS won by 8 wickets)After starting the season with an emphatic win, Punjab earned their second victory over Rishabh Pant's Lucknow Super Giants. With 172 runs needed to win, Punjab sealed the deal with a whopping 22 balls left. Prabhsimran Singh's 69 from 34 was compounded by Iyer's half-century and Nehal Wadhera's 43 from 25. Prabhsimran was named the Player of the Match.

3. PBKS vs RR (RR won by 50 runs)After winning two in a row, PBKS fell painfully short against Rajasthan Royals. The 206 run target set by Rajasthan was too much of an ask for PBKS, as they only managed to put up 155 on the board. Yashasvi Jaiswal, Sanju Samson and Riyan Parag racked up the runs for RR, but it was Jofra Archer that took home the Player of the Match award for his 3/25.

4. PBKS vs CSK (PBKS won by 18 runs)Capitalising on CSK's rough patch, PBKS added two more points to their tally with a win at New PCA Stadium.

Punjab defended their 219-run total, restricting CSK to 201 runs. Priyansh Arya was adjudged Player of the Match for an amazing century. His 103 from 42 balls helped Punjab cruise to victory.5. PBKS vs SRH (SRH won by 8 wickets)In what proved to be a difficult game, Punjab Kings fell to Sunrisers Hyderabad despite putting up a massive 245 runs on the board. Travis Head and Abhishek Sharma plowed through PBKS's bowlers, sealing the deal before the end of the penultimate over.

Abhishek Sharma was handed the Player of the Match award for a relentless century that saw him rack up 141 from 55 balls.6. PBKS vs KKR (PBKS won by 16 runs)After a painful defeat against SRH, PBKS set a record for the lowest-ever total defended in the history of the competition. After being restricted to a meagre 111 runs, PBKS bowled out KKR for just 95 runs. Yuzvendra Chahal's spell of 4/28 earned him the Player of the Match award.Quiz: Who's that IPL player?7. RCB vs PBKS (PBKS won by 5 wickets)PBKS have already had the better of RCB in the league stage.

With the game delayed by rain and subsequently reduced to 14 overs, RCB managed to post a total of 95. PBKS claimed the win with 11 balls left and 5 wickets to spare. Despite being on the losing side, RCB's Tim David was named as the Player of the Match for his half-century off 26 balls.8. PBKS vs RCB (RCB won by 7 wickets)With defeat fresh on their minds, RCB claimed revenge over PBKS. With just a two-day gap between the previous game, RCB managed a seven-wicket win after posting a target of 158, with the whole 20 overs being played this time.

Virat Kohli was named Player of the Match for his impressive 73-run display.9. PBKS vs KKR (abandoned)With the game against KKR abandoned, both teams pocketed one point apiece. PBKS set a target of 202, courtesy of their opening pair of Priyansh Arya (69 off 35) and Prabhsimran Singh (83 0ff 49), before rain put a halt to proceedings. The game was suspended just one over into KKR's innings, when the three-time champions had accumulated just 7 runs.10. CSK vs PBKS (PBKS won by 4 wickets)CSK's Sam Curran and Dewald Brewis combined to put up 190 runs, before a thunderous display from Prabhsimram Singh (54 from 36) and Shreyas Iyer's 72 from 41 earned the visitors a win. Shreyas was adjudged the Player of the Match for his stellar knock, while Arshdeep Singh also impressed for Punjab with two wickets in 3.2 overs while conceding just 25 runs.11. PBKS vs LSG (PBKS won by 37 runs)In game where Punjab put 236 on the board, opener Prabhsimran Singh took center stage with a stellar 91 runs from 48 deliveries.

The PBKS batter was also handed the Player of the Match award for his sublime knock in Dharamsala. LSG's Ayush Badoni put up a valiant fight, although his 74 from 40 proved futile in a game where LSG fell short by 37 runs.12. PBKS vs RR (PBKS won by 10 runs)PBKS continued their relentless march to the IPL playoffs with a win over Rajasthan Royals. PBKS middle order produced the goods with Nehal Wadhera's 70 off 37 and Shashank Singh's 59 run cameo made sure that Punjab's total of 219 was too much of an ask for Rajasthan.

Harpreet Brar's 3/22 earned him the Player of the Match.13. PBKS vs DC (DC won by 6 wickets)In a replay of the game that was abandoned due to a security threat, Delhi Capitals clinched a win in Jaipur. PBKS put up 206 on the board thanks to a Shreyas Iyer's half-century and a powerful cameo from Marcus Stoinis that saw him rack up 40 runs from just 16 deliveries. However, the DC batting unit powered through Punjab's bowlers, clinching the win with three balls left.

Sameer Rizvi of DC was awarded Player of the Match for his 58 runs in 25 deliveries.

15. MI vs PBKS (PBKS won by 7 wickets)In the chase, PBKS earned a seven-wicket win over Mumbai Indians after the five-time champions put up 184. PBKS chased down the target in 18.3 overs, thanks to an explosive innings from opener Priyansh Arya and Australian wicketkeeper-batter Jos Inglis. The latter's trailblazing knock of 73 from 42 balls ensured that Punjab ended their league campaign with a win and eventually took top spot.