Punjab Kings were bowled out for just 101 in IPL 2025 Qualifier 1 against Royal Challengers Bengaluru. It wasn’t just a loss—it was a meltdown. The lowest first-innings score in IPL playoff history. And all of it unfolded in just 14.1 overs.
What went wrong? The short answer: a brutal misunderstanding of the moment. The long answer? A team that mistook aggression for strategy.
Punjab Kings lost the toss and were sent in to bat on a tricky Mullanpur pitch. It had green grass, good bounce, and movement off the seam. Conditions that demanded patience. Instead, PBKS chose panic.
In the fourth over, with two wickets already down, captain Shreyas Iyer, who had scored 513 runs in the season, threw away his wicket with a wild swing. Sunil Gavaskar’s live reaction summed it up: “That is not a good shot. That is a nothing shot.”
Shreyas Iyer Wicket Clip!.❤️🔥#RCBvsPBKS pic.twitter.com/1JnWgtEHMy
— Manoj Meena (@ManojMe07807289) May 29, 2025
From 30 for 2, Punjab slipped to 30 for 3. And soon, the collapse became a freefall.
The batters weren’t playing smart cricket. They weren’t playing for the pitch. They were swinging like it was a highlight reel. And RCB made them pay. Josh Hazlewood, Yash Dayal, and Bhuvneshwar Kumar bowled with discipline. Then Suyash Sharma spun a web with his leg-spin. PBKS’s middle order had no answers. Not even guesses.
Suyash CLUTCH Sharma! 🥶
3/17 in Qualifier 1 – just what #RCB needed from their frontline spinner in their quest to Final! 💪
LIVE NOW ➡ https://t.co/B4bnHnppgJ #IPLPlayoffs | #Qualifier1 👉 #PBKSvRCB on Star Sports Network & JioHotstar!#RCBvPBKS pic.twitter.com/ivUNZOMe5C
— Star Sports (@StarSportsIndia) May 29, 2025
The question is: Why such chaos in a game this big?
Maybe it was the memory of their miracle win against CSK at this very ground. Then too, they were in trouble early but came back thanks to a brilliant hundred from Priyansh Arya. But that day was different. That innings was built. This one was forced.
Trying to repeat magic is a trap. PBKS walked right into it.
This loss also exposed a deeper issue: over-dependence on individual brilliance. All season, they survived on sparks—Arya, Iyer, or Prabhsimran saving the day. But in big games, you need a system, not saviors.
In Mullanpur, the top order folded early. The middle order had no idea how to rebuild. Instead of showing grit, they swung like it was a net session. And paid the price.
PBKS have one more chance in Qualifier 2. But unless they fix their mindset, it might be their last.
There’s a difference between playing brave and playing blind. Punjab Kings blurred that line—and were left staring at a scoreboard that told a painful truth.
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