Saturday, March 29, 2025
Punjab Kings have officially secured a top-2 finish in the IPL 2025 league stage after a thrilling 7-wicket victory over Mumbai Indians in Jaipur on Monday. The moment of triumph came when captain Shreyas Iyer launched a decisive six off Trent Boult in the 19th over, triggering an outpouring of joy from co-owner Preity Zinta. Her euphoric reaction—leaping from her seat and pumping both fists—has since gone viral on social media.
We are just so so soooo happy! 🥹❤️pic.twitter.com/X0UsQUX9g7
— Punjab Kings (@PunjabKingsIPL) May 26, 2025
Batting first, Mumbai Indians posted a competitive 184/6 in their 20 overs, thanks largely to a composed 57-run knock from Suryakumar Yadav. Punjab’s chase got off to a cautious start and suffered an early setback with Prabhsimran Singh falling for 18. However, a century partnership between young opener Priyansh Arya and keeper-batter Josh Inglis turned the tide in Punjab’s favor.
By the end of the 18th over, Punjab Kings stood at 180/3, needing just 5 runs from 12 balls. After Harnoor Singh Vadhera took a single on the first ball of the 19th over, Shreyas Iyer faced Boult’s second delivery without scoring. On the third ball, Iyer delivered the knockout blow—lofting the ball over long-off for a massive six, sealing the win with style.
That six not only concluded the match but also confirmed Punjab Kings’ place in the top two, guaranteeing them a berth in Qualifier 1. A win in that game would send them straight to the final, while a loss would still offer a second shot at qualification through Qualifier 2.
Preity Zinta’s high-energy celebration, caught live on camera, quickly made its rounds on social platforms, symbolizing the emotional weight of the win for Punjab’s long-suffering fans. The franchise has not reached such heights in over a decade, making this achievement even more special.
As it stands, Punjab Kings top the points table with 19 points. The final ranking of the top two depends on the outcome of Tuesday’s clash between Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) and Lucknow Super Giants (LSG). If RCB wins by a significant margin, they could leapfrog to first place, pushing Punjab to second. However, an RCB loss would leave Punjab at the summit, with Gujarat Titans sliding into second.
Punjab Kings beat Mumbai Indians by 7 wickets in Jaipur.
Shreyas Iyer’s six in the 19th over sealed the win.
Preity Zinta’s jubilant reaction went viral online.
Punjab now heads to Qualifier 1 with a top-2 finish.
Final top-two placement depends on RCB vs LSG match result.
