When was the last time Punjab Kings qualified for the playoffs before IPL 2025?

Punjab Kings (PBKS) became one of three teams to qualify for the IPL 2025 playoffs on Sunday, May 18. The side reached 17 points in 12 games with their win over the Rajasthan Royals (RR) in the first of two matches on May 18.

However, their place in the playoffs was confirmed once Gujarat Titans (GT) thumped the Delhi Capitals (DC) by 10 wickets in the second game on the same day. The result saw PBKS, GT, and Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) take three of the four playoff spots, with the Delhi Capitals (DC), Mumbai Indians (MI), and Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) left to battle for the final playoff spot.

As for PBKS, a top-four finish in an IPL season has become a distant memory, with the franchise qualifying for the playoffs only twice in 17 previous seasons. PBKS' last playoff appearance was back in 2014 when they finished as runners-up, losing to the Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) in the grand finale.

The last two seasons saw PBKS finish at an embarrassing eighth and ninth in the standings. In the ten consecutive years of missing the playoffs, PBKS finished as high as fifth only once in 2017.

They are currently on 17 points in 12 games, with two league stage matches remaining.

Shreyas Iyer set incredible IPL record with PBKS' playoff qualification

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With PBKS' long-awaited playoff qualification in the 2025 season, their skipper, Shreyas Iyer, set an incredible captaincy record in IPL history. Iyer became the first captain in league history to lead three different franchises to the playoffs.

He helped Delhi Capitals (DC) advance to the playoffs in 2019 and 2020, including a runners-up finish in the latter. Iyer did one better last season by captaining Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) to their third title in IPL 2024.

Should he lead PBKS to the title in the ongoing season, Iyer will also become the first captain in IPL history to lead two separate sides to ultimate glory. With playoff qualification done and dusted, PBKS will now look to seal a top-two spot in their remaining two league stage games against the Delhi Capitals (DC) and Mumbai Indians (MI).

About the author

Venkatesh has been writing cricket news, listicle and feature articles for Sportskeeda for over a year. He loves cricket because of the diversity of the playing fields and its unparalleled nuances, which no other sport presents. He also enjoys the analytical and quantitative side of the sport, which originates from his MBA degree and 10 years of experience in the IT industry in companies like Infosys, Atos and TCS.

Venkatesh ensures proper research from reliable sources and social media trends to gather information, and adds his own dash of creativity to create insightful content.

He started watching cricket in the late 1990s, having been impressed with South Africa and New Zealand’s gentleman-like attitude. Domestically, he supports the Chennai Super Kings for their ability to bring the best out of their players owing to a friendly and conducive team environment.

He admires three cricketers the most – Brian Lara for his batting style, AB de Villiers for changing the paradigm of batting and MS Dhoni for his unique cerebral approach to field placings and batting. Along with cricket, Venkatesh also enjoys watching and playing tennis and basketball. In his free time, he finds pleasure in singing and watching movies and web series.

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Edited by Venkatesh Ravichandran