3 things MI need to do right to beat PBKS in IPL 2025 Qualifier 2 ft. Jasprit Bumrah's utilization

The battle for a spot in the IPL 2025 final will be played between the Mumbai Indians (MI) and Punjab Kings (PBKS) in Qualifier 2 in Ahmedabad on Sunday, June 1. The two teams took contrasting routes in the league stage and the playoffs to come to this point.

PBKS dominated from their season opener until the end to finish atop the points table with 19 points in 14 outings. Meanwhile, MI overcame losing four of their first five matches in the league stage to eventually finish fourth in the standings and clinch a playoff spot.

However, the playoffs have been the complete opposite for both sides, with PBKS enduring a crushing eight-wicket defeat to the Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) in Qualifier 1, while MI thwarted a stiff challenge from the Gujarat Titans (GT) in the Eliminator.

The two teams recently met in their respective league stage finales, with PBKS upstaging Mumbai by seven wickets in a high-scoring contest.

Yet, MI have enough weapons in their armory to do a number on PBKS and reach their first IPL final since the back-to-back titles in 2019 and 2020.

On that note, here are three things MI must take care of to defeat PBKS and set up a mouthwatering finale against RCB.

# 1 MI must neutralize the Triple 'P' effect of PBKS

MI must do whatever it takes to break PBKS' opening stand early [Credit: Getty]

The P in PBKS has stood as much for their opening combination of Priyansh Arya and Prabhsimran Singh as it does for Punjab this season. The duo have got PBKS off to sensational starts in their wins and fell early in defeats.

While Prabhsimran is PBKS' leading run-scorer with 517 runs, Priyansh is third with 431 runs. The opening partnership has been broken before double figures only four times in 15 innings. PBKS has won only one of the four matches.

Yet, the other 11 times the duo have added at least double-digit runs, PBKS have lost only twice. As invaluable as Shreyas Iyer's captaincy and runs have been for the Kings, the two P's at the top have impacted outcomes more than the others.

It makes MI's task simple - employ their two best pacers, Jasprit Bumrah and Trent Boult in the first four overs of the powerplay to possibly remove both PBKS openers early. While Boult almost always bowls two overs inside the powerplay, MI prefer to keep Bumrah in their back pocket for as late as possible.

However, the change in strategy will be paramount for Mumbai to give themselves the best opportunity for early inroads against a powerful PBKS batting lineup, starting with Prabhsimran and Priyansh.

# 2 Rinse and Repeat the plan against Siraj the Eliminator to Arshdeep Singh

MI can ill-afford gifting wickets to Arshdeep Singh [Credit: Getty]

Gujarat Titans had gone as far as Mohammed Siraj had taken throughout the 2025 IPL season, leading up to the Eliminator against MI. The Shubman Gill-led side were winless on all but one occasion when Siraj went wicketless in the league stage.

The openers, Rohit Sharma and Jonny Bairstow smartly denied the pacer wickets in the powerplay, resulting in them eventually posting a massive 228 in 20 overs.

MI will now have to repeat the same with PBKS left-arm seamer, Arshdeep Singh in Qualifier 2. His numbers in PBKS' wins and losses are staggering through the season.

Arshdeep has picked up 15 wickets in their nine victories at an average of 18.73 and an economy of 8.43. However, in the five losses, the 26-year-old has picked up only three wickets at a dismal average of 51 and an economy of nine.

With the in-form Marco Jansen missing in action for the playoffs, the importance of not gifting early wickets to Arshdeep multifolds and the two MI openers should focus on leaving Arshdeep with 'Zero' on the wickets column in the powerplay.

# 3 Removing Shreyas Iyer early counts for double in a do-or-die clash

Shreyas Iyer's early fall shook the rest of the PBKS lineup in Qualifier 1 [Credit: Getty]

Dismissing the opposition skipper early is of utmost importance in any contest. However, given the rest of PBKS' battle order, removing Shreyas Iyer in a knockout game becomes twice as crucial for MI.

The 30-year-old averages over 56 in nine PBKS victories this season and only 30.60 in the five losses. Yet, removing Iyer early in a match of such consequence might almost be the death knell for PBKS in this particular contest.

Lest we forget, PBKS have come this far thanks to the incredible performances of several uncapped Indian batters. However, the same could haunt them in a crunch game, where watching their captain fail could have a ripple effect on a relatively inexperienced batting lineup.

Thus, MI must throw all their eggs in the 'Dismiss Shreyas Iyer early' basket and hope his fall has a detrimental effect on the rest of the PBKS lineup.