Punjab Kings (PBKS) ended their 11-year drought by securing a spot in the IPL 2025 playoffs on Sunday, May 18, becoming the third team to qualify this season. Following their qualification, an old statement by Shashank Singh expressing confidence in the team’s playoff chances went viral on social media.
Punjab Kings defeated Rajasthan Royals by 10 runs in Jaipur. The Shreyas Iyer-led team is currently third in the IPL 2025 standings with 17 points from 12 matches. Their qualification was officially sealed later that evening, when Gujarat Titans (GT) secured a dominant 10-wicket victory over Delhi Capitals (DC).
Punjab Kings have reached the IPL knockout stage for the first time since 2014. The team, led by George Bailey at the time, topped the league table but fell short in the final against Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR).
PBKS are now in a position to compete for their first IPL title. With two league matches remaining, just one more victory could secure them a top-two finish, giving them a crucial second chance to reach the final.
Notably, the Mohali-based franchise had underwhelming campaigns in 2023 and 2024, finishing eighth and ninth respectively. Over the past decade, they only came close to the playoffs once, narrowly missing out in 2017 with a fifth-place finish.
Shashank Singh Had Backed PBKS for Top Spot Before IPL 2025
Before the start of IPL 2025, Shashank Singh had predicted that Punjab Kings would top the points table. Speaking on Shubhankar Mishra’s YouTube channel, Shashank Singh backed his team to secure a top-two finish based on their potential.
“Punjab Kings No. 1. It’s not like I’m in Punjab Kings, so I am saying this. Punjab Kings one finish karega points table par. Top-2 mein Punjab Kings finish karega, uske baad SRH is a very good team; RCB is good, and one out of MI or CSK will finish in the top four," Shashank Singh had said when asked to name his top-four teams for IPL 2025.
Watch the video of the same posted by a user on X (formerly known as Twitter) below:
If confidence had a face ? pic.twitter.com/eXXyqBs65e
— Out Of Context Cricket (@GemsOfCricket) May 19, 2025
Punjab Kings Secure a Close Victory Over Rajasthan Royals in IPL 2025
After opting to bat first, PBKS lost three early wickets during the powerplay. However, Nehal Wadhera and captain Shreyas Iyer rescued the innings with a 67-run partnership for the fourth wicket. Wadhera scored 70 runs off just 37 balls, featuring five fours and six sixes, helping the team build momentum.
Iyer scored 30 runs off 25 balls, including five boundaries. Shashank Singh remained unbeaten on 59 runs off 30 balls, including five fours and three sixes. Azmatullah Omarzai finished the innings with quick runs, taking PBKS to a formidable total of 219.
Chasing the target, Rajasthan Royals’ openers Yashasvi Jaiswal and Vaibhav Suryavanshi added 89 runs in the powerplay. However, Harpreet Brar bowled a crucial spell, taking 3 wickets for 22 runs, which turned the tide in Punjab’s favor.
Also read: Shreyas Iyer does the Unthinkable in IPL as soon as Punjab Kings qualify for IPL 2025 Playoffs
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