5 world events that hadn't happened when PBKS last qualified for the playoffs before IPL 2025

One of the perennial underachievers of the Indian Premier League (IPL), the Punjab Kings (PBKS) qualified for the playoffs of the 18th season after Gujarat Titans (GT) defeated the Delhi Capitals on Sunday, May 18.

GT took PBKS and Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) with them to the playoffs. It was a massive moment for the Punjab side as this was their first playoffs qualification in 11 years.

The understanding between head coach Ricky Ponting and captain Shreyas Iyer seems to be bringing PBKS close to their maiden IPL title. The last time they qualified for the playoffs was back in 2014, losing to eventual champions Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) in the final.

In the last 11 years, a lot has changed in the cricketing circles. With PBKS qualifying for the IPL playoffs in IPL 2025, let us have a look at five world events that hadn't happened when PBKS last qualified for the playoffs before 2025:

#1 MS Dhoni was still India’s all-format captain

MS Dhoni led India in Tests till 2014. Source: Getty

Legendary Indian skipper Mahendra Singh Dhoni, who retired from international cricket in 2019, was still India’s all-format captain when PBKS qualified for the playoffs in 2014. Dhoni retired from Tests later that year. With the IPL taking place in April-May, he was still India’s designated captain in all three formats.

Virat Kohli took over from Dhoni in Tests and went on to lead the side with distinction for the next eight years. Dhoni, who is 43, is still an active player in the IPL.

#2 The World Test Championship wasn't introduced

Australia celebrate winning the second WTC title. Source: Getty

The World Test Championship was introduced in 2019 to bring more relevance to Test cricket, which was losing its charm due to the ever-growing interest in the T20 format. The tournament was one of a kind, with each team playing three home and away series over a two-year cycle.

The top two teams with the highest points percentage qualify for the final. It has now become a permanent feature in the calendar, with Australia slated to lock horns against South Africa in the third WTC final in June.

#3 Champions League T20 was still active

Sydney Sixers celebrate winning the CLT20 title in 2012. Source: Getty

The Champions League T20 was an annual competition which started in 2009, featuring the top teams from T20 tournaments across the globe. The intention behind the tournament was to make T20 cricket global and allow teams from different countries to ply their trade in a high-quality tournament.

Despite the belief that the viewership would be top-notch, the tournament held its last edition in 2014 due to a lack of interest. However, the last edition was played from September 13 to October 4, which was after PBKS had qualified for the playoffs earlier that year.

#4 No impact player rule in IPL

A very new induction to IPL cricket, the impact player rule came into place ahead of the 2023 IPL and has since become an integral feature of the tournament. The impact rule allows any team to play the perfect balance and substitute a bowler during their batting innings and vice versa.

While the rule has been questioned by many pundits but given the sort of entertainment and the euphoria IPL creates, it might be there to stay for the coming years. It has, however, affected the role of the all-rounders to a certain extent.

#5 England were yet to win a Men’s ODI World Cup

England celebrates winning the 2019 World Cup final. Source: Getty

Since the conclusion of the 2015 ODI World Cup, England changed their whole cricketing template in the white ball formats. The inventors of the had yet to win a Men’s ODI World Cup up until 2019.

They were at their dominant best in 2019 and played an exceptional brand of cricket to eventually lift their maiden World Cup title. While there was some serious drama en route, they could eventually lay their hands on the coveted title that had been missing from their cabinet all those years.