AI Simulation, IPL Qualifier 2 | Mumbai pip Punjab in a high-scoring thriller to seal seventh IPL final

05/31/2025

Suryakumar Yadav in action for Mumbai Indians in IPL 2025

As per Artificial Intelligence, Mumbai Indians will beat Punjab Kings by five wickets in a high-scoring thriller in Qualifier 2 of IPL 2025 in Ahmedabad. With that nerve-wracking win, MI qualified for their seventh final in the history of the tournament while Punjab’s run came to an end this season.

‌Pitch & Weather

A dry, hard surface promising good carry and bounce assisted the batters with ample run-scoring opportunities in a high-scoring game under lights. The temperatures hovered around the 34°C mark with clear skies throughout the game and no dew coming up in the second innings.

Toss & Conditions

Mumbai Indians won the toss and elected to bowl first.

Lineups

PBKS: Priyansh Arya, Prabhsimran Singh, Josh Inglis (wk), Shreyas Iyer (c), Nehal Wadhera, Marcus Stoinis, Shashank Singh, Kyle Jamieson, Harpreet Brar, Arshdeep Singh, Yuzvendra Chahal, Azmatullah Omarzai

MI: Rohit Sharma, Jonny Bairstow (wk), Suryakumar Yadav, Tilak Varma, Hardik Pandya (c), Naman Dhir, Mitchell Santner, Raj Angad Bawa, Trent Boult, Jasprit Bumrah, Richard Gleeson, Ashwani Kumar

Match Report

In a high-octane clash at the Narendra Modi Stadium, Mumbai Indians qualified for the final of IPL 2025, chasing down a challenging 198-run target with poise and flair, defeating Punjab Kings by five wickets in the second qualifier. Suryakumar Yadav top-scored for MI with a 30-ball 61, which included seven fours and two sixes, while Jasprit Bumrah, Mitchell Santner and Ashwani Kumar all picked up two wickets each to restrict Punjab after their flying start.

Put into bat first on a dry surface, Punjab Kings came out swinging despite their failure in the last game, with Priyansh Arya leading the charge. The young opener was ruthless through the off-side helping PBKS notch up 67 in the powerplay and smashed eight fours and three sixes in his 32-ball 61. With a solid foundation, Inglis carried on the momentum for a brief period with an enterprising cameo but disciplined middle-overs bowling from Santner and Bumrah meant he kept losing partners at the other end. MI successfully stemmed the flow of runs between overs 10 and 16 as Punjab lost momentum managing just 47 runs in that phase. Despite late efforts from Shashank Singh and Marcus Stoinis, PBKS closed at 197/8—a competitive total, but slightly underwhelming given their explosive start.

During the chase, Rohit Sharma and Jonny Bairstow began confidently for MI just as in their previous game against Gujarat Titans. The pair added their second fifty partnership in two matches with Rohit getting dismissed for a 25-ball 38 soon after. But PBKS had no respite as the elegant Suryakumar Yadav continued his rollicking form this season with another stellar display to steal the show. Coming in at No. 3, SKY unfurled his trademark ramps, flicks, and late cuts en route to a game-changing knock which was laden with seven fours and two sixes. His partnership with Bairstow, who scored his first half-century this season in only his second game, was worth 85 runs and the duo negotiated PBKS’s spin threat of Yuzvendra Chahal and Harpreet Brar cautiously punishing anything loose. Despite a minor wobble in the 16th over when Chahal struck twice, Naman Dhir’s cool-headed finish in the penultimate over bowled by Arshdeep Singh ensured that MI crossed the line to reach the summit clash for the seventh time. Chahal was the pick among the PBKS bowlers with figures of 2/33 but it could not help his side progress as MI set up a date with Royal Challengers Bengaluru.

Player of the Match

Suryakumar Yadav won the Player of the Match for anchoring the chase with a dazzling 61 off 30 balls and negotiating the tricky phase of play in the middle overs with ease.