IPL 2025 playoffs: How can PBKS finish in the top two after their 6-wicket loss against DC?

A six-wicket loss for Punjab Kings against Delhi Capitals in IPL 2025 on Saturday saw their hope of a top-two finish take a slight hit. It was a home game for PBKS, who had their secondary home venue shifted from Dharamshala to Jaipur.

Batting first, PBKS put on 206/8 at the end of their 20 overs. Shreyas Iyer (53 off 34) and Marcus Stoinis (44 off 16) played some fine knocks and ensured that their side got over the 200 mark. That was bettered by Sameer Rizvi's maiden half century (58 off 25) and a quick-paced knock by Karun Nair (44 off 27). DC chased the total down in the last over of the game.

That defeat ensured PBKS stayed in second place but had a huge dent in their net run rate from 0.39 to 0.26. They now need to win their last game against the Mumbai Indians and lock down one of the top two spots. Along with that, they will have to hope that the Gujarat Titans and the Royal Challengers Bengaluru lose their remaining games. This will see them finish in first position in the points table or second, even if Gujarat Titans win against Chennai Super Kings.

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"We weren't disciplined enough with ball" - Shreyas Iyer shed light on what went wrong during the game

In the post-match interview, PBKS skipper Shreyas Iyer said that the bowling unit didn't stand up to the task and were a bit erratic with the way they bowled. He said (via ESPNCrinfo):

"207 was a fantastic score on this wicket. There was some variable bounce and it wasn't coming on at the same pace. We weren't disciplined enough with ball. We assessed the wicket and decided to bowl hard lengths at the stumps, but we went overboard with bouncers trying to take wickets.

"Every team is equally poised in this tournament, you gotta stay positive and calm. We'll come back with a strong set of plans. No issues with the body, just the finger, should be fine for the next game."

Punjab Kings have only one game remaining in their league campaign against Mumbai Indians on May 26 at the Sawai Mansingh Stadium, Jaipur. The game will be a decider to see whether or not PBKS finish in the top two positions in the table.