Three days. Three teams. Three golden chances to grab a top-two spot—and all three blew it. Gujarat Titans, Royal Challengers Bangalore, and now Punjab Kings have stumbled like it’s a game of hot potato at the top of the IPL table.
Punjab looked set to break the curse. They had the perfect launchpad. Enter Marcus Stoinis, the certified Death Overs Demolition Man. With a mind-blowing strike rate of 291 in overs 16-20 this season, he smashed an unbeaten 44 off just 16 balls. His late blitz powered PBKS to a towering 206—their seventh 200+ total of the season. That should've been enough to seal the deal, right? Wrong.
Because the Delhi Capitals had other plans.
PBKS bowlers couldn’t hold the line. Despite early contributions from Karun Nair, KL Rahul, and Faf du Plessis, the night belonged to Sameer Rizvi—a name no one had underlined before. Heading into the game, Rizvi had a forgettable season: average of 21, strike rate under 120. But in Jaipur, the man turned prime AB de Villiers. A 25-ball 58*, packed with sweeps, slogs, and 5 massive sixes. His maiden IPL fifty wasn’t just timely—it was clutch. A statement. A star turn when no one expected it.
And with that, Punjab’s dreams of sealing a top-two finish went up in smoke.
Now it all comes down to Monday: PBKS vs Mumbai Indians. A high-stakes showdown. Win, and you stay alive. Lose, and you're headed to the Eliminator—no lifelines, no comebacks.
This season’s playoff picture? Still a mystery. The drama’s far from over, and every game is a thriller. So yeah, keep that popcorn within arm’s reach. IPL 2025 is rewriting chaos, one game at a time.
