IPL playoffs: How have PBKS fared in the playoffs over the years?
(Courtesy : BCCI)
Punjab Kings (PBKS) have reached the playoffs in three editions of the IPL.
The Indian Premier League (IPL) began in 2008 and is currently in its 18th season. In its maiden season, the tournament witnessed a battle between eight teams. However, IPL has observed a battle between 10 teams for the title since the 2022 season. Two new teams- Gujarat Titans (GT) and Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) were added in the 2022 edition.
Punjab Kings (PBKS) is one of the teams that have been part of the IPL since the first season in 2008. The franchise was known as Kings XI Punjab till the 2020 edition. They changed their name to Punjab Kings in the 2021 season.
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Although PBKS have been part of the IPL since its inception, they have not won any IPL trophy. Powerful players like Yuvraj Singh, Adam Gilchrist, Virender Sehwag, Ravichandran Ashwin, Shikhar Dhawan, and KL Rahul have led the side in the past. However, none of them could drive the side to the title.
Moreover, PBKS are among the weakest performers when it comes to the playoffs. Over the years, they have only qualified for the playoffs on three occasions- IPL 2008, IPL 2014, and IPL 2025. On that note, let’s elaborate on how PBKS have fared in the playoffs over the years.
1. IPL 2008- Lost semi-final
The playoffs format was not part of the first edition. The top four teams in the points table after the league stage locked horns in two semi-finals. In IPL 2008, PBKS were led by former Sri Lanka player Kumar Sangakkara. They performed brilliantly in the league stage by finishing second on the points table.
However, they lost the 2nd semi-final against Chennai Super Kings (CSK) by a huge margin of nine wickets. They suffered a massive batting collapse in the first innings and could only score 112/8. Later, CSK chased down the target with ease. Hence, PBKS failed to steal a place in the final.
2. IPL 2014- Runners-up
After the 2008 season, PBKS made it to the top four positions in the points table in the 2014 edition. Under the captainship of former Australian player George Bailey, they stole the top spot in the points table after the league stage.
They lost the Qualifier 1 match against Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) by 28 runs. However, they defeated CSK in Qualifier 2 to seal a place in the final. In the thrilling final, PBKS lost to KKR by three wickets and eventually ended as runners-up.
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