IPL 2025: What happened the last time PBKS played Qualifier 1?

The Punjab Kings (PBKS) have qualified for the IPL playoffs after a gap of 11 years. They secured the top spot on the IPL 2025 points table by defeating Mumbai Indians (MI) in their final league match, finishing the league stage with nine wins from 14 matches.

The Shreyas Iyer-led unit will take on Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) in Qualifier 1 at Mullanpur as they are aiming for their first-ever finale qualification since 2014. Meanwhile, the Bengaluru-based franchise has also been led brilliantly by Rajat Patidar and stand-in captain Jitesh Sharma due to former's injury concern. 

This marks PBKS’s second playoff appearance since IPL 2014, where also they had a memorable run but an agonising end. In 2014, the Punjab-based franchise faced Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) in Qualifier 1 but lost the match despite a good bowling performance. KKR posted 163 runs in the first innings with PBKS bowler Karanveer Singh picking three wickets in his four-over spell.

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However, PBKS fell short by 28 runs while chasing, with KKR pacer Umesh Yadav taking three wickets. PBKS bounced back in Qualifier 2 by defeating Chennai Super Kings (CSK) and eventually made it to the final, where they once again lost to KKR and finished as runners-up. Ever since then, they continued to miss the qualification until this year the drought finally came to an end.

In IPL 2025, Arshdeep Singh has led the bowling attack with 18 wickets which makes him the team’s highest wicket-taker. Shreyas Iyer has also displayed his brilliance with the bat, scoring 514 runs to be PBKS’ top run-scorer this season.

PBKS will now look to carry their momentum into Qualifier 1 as the winner will directly secure a spot in the final. On the other hand, the loser of tonight's game will face the winner of Eliminator in Qualifier 2, which will be played in Ahmedabad on June 1.