The immense pressure of the final shattered Punjab’s dreams

IPL 2025: The final of IPL 2025 was like a dream for Punjab Kings, but in the end this dream was shattered. Punjab's team, which performed brilliantly throughout the tournament, reached the final, but a close defeat of just 6 runs snatched the crown of victory from their head. This was the first time since 2014 that the team reached the final, but this time too it missed out on creating history.

Strong middle order crumbled in the final

The middle order of Punjab Kings proved to be their backbone throughout the tournament. Players like Nihal Wadhera, Marcus Stoinis, and Azmatullah Umarzai had led the team to victory many times in earlier matches. But in a high-pressure match like the final, all these players proved to be flops.

As soon as Shreyas Iyer was out, the responsibility of handling the team was on the middle order, but due to the continuous fall of wickets, the run rate stopped. This was the same situation that Punjab had been avoiding throughout the tournament, but in the final, both luck and patience did not support it.

There were high expectations from captain Shreyas Iyer, but he got only 1 run

Shreyas Iyer was an inspiration for Punjab Kings this season. His captaincy and batting won many difficult matches. But his bat remained silent in the final. Getting out after scoring just 1 run was a big blow to the team's morale. When the captain himself gets out early, the mental pressure on the rest of the players increases, and this is what happened with Punjab this time. Shreyas's flop in this match perhaps became the turning point of the entire final.

The team crumbled under pressure; the bowlers also could not show their edge

The reason for Punjab's defeat was not just batting. The bowlers also did not perform as expected in the final. The fast bowlers conceded more runs than needed in the death overs. Some catches were also missed, and there were fielding mistakes. The inexperience of the team was clearly visible on big occasions, where emotions dominated the game more than strategy.

Will the fate change next time? Learnings and future strategy

The loss hurts, but it also marks a fresh start for Punjab Kings. The team, which could not even make it to the playoffs for the last few years, made it to the final this time. This has instilled confidence in the team and a new hope among the fans.

Speaking at the post-match press conference, Captain Shreyas Iyer expressed his emotions, saying, We were very close to victory. But this experience will teach us how to survive under pressure next time. Our team has talent, and we will come back."

The young players of the team have proved themselves this season. Whether it is Shashank Singh's finishing role or Arshdeep Singh's swing bowling, they have formed a strong core group.

Fans also showed full support

The way Punjab Kings fans supported the team throughout the season is commendable. Every match in the Mohali stadium turned into a 'Red Sea'. After the final, #SheraDiShaaan and #NextTimeChampions were trending on social media.

This shows that even though the team may not have won the trophy, the love and support of the fans is their real victory.

Not the trophy, but the spirit won

The IPL 2025 final may have been a bitter experience for Punjab Kings, but it did not break the team's spirit—but strengthened it. There is a lesson hidden in this defeat: "The one who wins by losing is called a Baazigar."

If this team, led by Shreyas Iyer, works on a few areas - like staying strong under pressure and strengthening the middle order - then next year could be theirs.