Iyer’s heroics take Punjab Kings to IPL Final after 11 years
Shreyas Iyer and Marcus Stoinis finished the chase for Punjab Kings
Punjab Kings secured a thrilling five-wicket victory over Mumbai Indians to reach the IPL final for the first time since 2014. Chasing a daunting target of 203 in Ahmedabad, skipper Shreyas Iyer played a sensational knock of 87* off 41 balls, guiding his side home with six balls to spare.
Needing 24 runs from the final 13 balls, Iyer launched into left-arm pacer Ashini Kumar, smashing four sixes in the 19th over — including a free-hit maximum — to all but seal the game.
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Earlier, he had built a match-defining 84-run stand with Nehal Wadhera, who scored a handy 48 off 29 balls before falling just short of a fifty.
Punjab’s chase started shakily, losing Prabhsimran Singh early to Trent Boult. However, Josh Inglis counter-attacked with 38 off 21, hitting Jasprit Bumrah for two sixes and a four in the opening over.
Priyansh Arya (20 off 10) and Inglis fell in quick succession, but Iyer took control from the 13th over, smashing Reece Topley for three consecutive sixes in a 19-run over.
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Mumbai, batting first after winning the toss, posted 203 for 6. Tilak Varma and Suryakumar Yadav both scored 44, while Jonny Bairstow (38 off 24) and Tim David (37* off 17) provided valuable contributions late in the innings.
Azmatullah Omarzai claimed two wickets for Punjab, while Chahal, Stoinis, Jamieson, and Vijaykumar Vyshak picked up one each.
Punjab Kings will now face Royal Challengers Bangalore in the final — their first title shot in 11 years.
