Punjab Kings (PBKS) endured a humiliating eight-wicket loss against Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) in Qualifier 1 of IPL 2025 at Mullanpur on Thursday, May 29. After being sent in to bat first by RCB captain Rajat Patidar, PBKS crumbled under pressure and were dismissed for just 101 runs in 14.1 overs. Only Marcus Stoinis (26 off 17) managed a meaningful contribution with the bat.
RCB chased down the modest total in emphatic fashion, thanks to Phil Salt’s explosive unbeaten 56 off 27 balls, sealing the match in just 10 overs and storming into the IPL 2025 final.
The turning point of the match came early in Punjab’s innings, when captain Shreyas Iyer threw his wicket away with a reckless shot against Josh Hazlewood. Attempting a wild slog on just his fourth delivery, Iyer was caught behind for 2 runs, failing to assess the bounce and line. His dismissal drew heavy criticism, including from Tom Moody, who slammed the shot selection on ESPNcricinfo’s ‘Timeout’ show.
“At times, you need to put your ego in your pocket and just move forward. That was a clear case of not reading the situation – he let his pride cloud his judgment,” Moody remarked bluntly.
Moody pointed out that Hazlewood had a known record against Iyer and felt the PBKS skipper should have simply tried to survive the pacer’s spell rather than challenge him head-on early in the innings.
“It was the perfect Hazlewood line – the first ball he played and missed told the whole story. He needed to just see Hazlewood out. There was no need for that ugly slog,” Moody added.
Iyer’s poor judgment wasn’t just criticized by commentators. Cameras caught head coach Ricky Ponting having a visibly animated discussion with Iyer in the dugout post his dismissal. On commentary, Sunil Gavaskar also expressed frustration, calling the shot “unacceptable” for a player of Iyer’s caliber in such a high-stakes match.
Moody further elaborated that Iyer not only misread the game situation but also ignored his own historical vulnerabilities.
“He knows Hazlewood has dismissed him before. That knowledge should have made him more cautious. Instead, he let the moment get the better of him,” Moody concluded.
Despite the loss, Punjab Kings’ journey is not yet over. As table-toppers from the league stage, they will get a second shot at the final. PBKS will now face the winner of the Eliminator between Gujarat Titans and Mumbai Indians in Qualifier 2 on June 1 in Ahmedabad.
Shreyas Iyer and Punjab Kings will need to regroup quickly and iron out their tactical flaws if they wish to make a strong comeback and fight for the IPL 2025 title.
