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In a crucial Indian Premier League (IPL) 2025 encounter at the Sawai Mansingh Stadium, Jaipur, Punjab Kings (PBKS) delivered a commanding performance to defeat Mumbai Indians (MI) by seven wickets, booking a direct berth in Qualifier 1 and relegating MI to the Eliminator spot.
The aftermath of the match saw former India opener Virender Sehwag take a subtle yet pointed dig at Mumbai Indians’ captain Hardik Pandya, questioning his tactical decisions during the contest.
Punjab Kings outclass Mumbai Indians in Jaipur
Asked to bat first, Mumbai Indians posted a competitive 184/7 in their 20 overs, with Suryakumar Yadav top-scoring with a fluent 57 and Hardik providing a late flourish. However, Punjab Kings’ chase was anchored by a 109-run partnership between Priyansh Arya (62 off 35) and Josh Inglis (73 off 42), which took the game away from MI. Despite two quick wickets from Mitchell Santner, PBKS captain Shreyas Iyer guided his side home with an unbeaten 26, as the Kings reached 187/3 in just 18.3 overs.
The win propelled Punjab Kings to the top of the IPL 2025 points table, securing a Qualifier 1 spot for the first time in 11 years, while Mumbai Indians, despite a strong season, now face the riskier route through the Eliminator.
Virender Sehwag takes a jibe at Hardik Pandya
Sehwag, never one to mince words, expressed disappointment with Hardik’s bowling changes during the match. Speaking on air, Sehwag remarked, “Deepak Chahar bowled two overs even after nursing his injury. This was the same thing I pointed out while I was calling the game. He gave away 28 runs in those two overs, which shifted the momentum towards Punjab. Hardik could’ve very well used Bumrah in that phase.”
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Sehwag’s comments implied that Pandya missed a trick by not turning to his most reliable bowler, Jasprit Bumrah, during a critical juncture when Punjab’s batters were building momentum. Instead, the decision to persist with an injured Chahar backfired, allowing PBKS to seize control of the chase.
“If Bumrah, Hardik or Ashwani Kumar had bowled that over instead of Deepak Chahar, the 17 runs that went in that over wouldn’t have gone. He [Hardik] disappointed me a lot with his bowling changes as a captain. He didn’t make the changes when required, and Mumbai went on the back foot because of that,” the former India opener added.
As Punjab Kings celebrate a historic top-two finish, Mumbai Indians must regroup quickly for the Eliminator.
Also READ: PBKS vs MI – Suryakumar Yadav shatters Sachin Tendulkar’s 15-year-old IPL record for Mumbai Indians
