"Shreyas Iyer had said that they hadn't lost the war" - Piyush Chawla on significance of PBKS' IPL 2025 Qualifier 2 win vs MI

Veteran India spinner Piyush Chawla has opined that the Punjab Kings' (PBKS) IPL 2025 Qualifier 2 win against the Mumbai Indians (MI) holds great significance. He pointed out that Shreyas Iyer had mentioned after their Qualifier 1 defeat against the Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) that they hadn't lost the war and that the captain himself proved that right by taking his team to the final.

PBKS beat MI by five wickets in the third playoff game of IPL 2025 in Ahmedabad on Sunday, June 1. They will want to avenge their Qualifier 1 loss when they meet the Rajat Patidar-led side in the final at the same venue on June 3.

Reviewing the IPL 2025 Qualifier 2 on Star Sports, Chawla was asked about the significance of PBKS' win.

"It has great significance because you have been trying for 18 years. You had reached the final before this. Then you hadn't qualified for 10 years, and when you qualified, you straightaway went into the final assertively. This was a big game against MI. They came after losing the last game very badly. Shreyas Iyer had said that they hadn't lost the war and that they had just lost a small battle," he responded.

The former PBKS player praised Shreyas for pacing the chase perfectly and taking his side to a relatively easy win.

"The confidence he showed in his batting today, he was going at a run-a-ball at one stage and then attacked Reece Topley in one over. He picked his bowlers to play the big shots. That shows self-confidence, and he made it a one-sided match in the end against a quality bowling attack," Chawla observed.

Shreyas Iyer scored an unbeaten 87 off 41 deliveries in PBKS' pursuit of a 204-run target in the IPL 2025 Qualifier 2. He struck five fours and eight sixes during his knock and took his team over the line with an over to spare.

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"That made a massive impact" - Piyush Chawla on Nehal Wadhera's dropped catch in PBKS' IPL 2025 Qualifier 2 win vs MI

Nehal Wadhera played a quickfire knock in IPL 2025 Qualifier 2. [P/C: Getty]

In the same discussion, Piyush Chawla was asked about the impact of Trent Boult's dropped catch of Nehal Wadhera on PBKS' chase.

"That made a massive impact because when Shreyas Iyer was taking his time, you don't want the run rate to go beyond your reach in a 200-run chase, and Nehal Wadhera did that job there. He maintained the run rate continuously. He was finding one or two boundaries in every over. He took risks whenever required," he replied.

The cricketer-turned-commentator noted that Wadhera's aggressive knock allowed Shreyas to pace his innings and stay till the end.

"You want such players around you because you want your experienced player, Shreyas Iyer, to take the game till the end, and that plan was visible there. Nehal Wadhera took chances whenever he got an opportunity. He played big shots, and because of that, the run rate never went out of hand," Chawla observed.

Nehal Wadhera smashed 48 runs off 29 deliveries in the IPL 2025 Qualifier 2. The left-handed batter was dropped by Trent Boult on 13, and he made the most of the reprieve by stitching together an 84-run fourth-wicket partnership with Shreyas Iyer.