The Punjab Kings (PBKS) experienced a truly memorable IPL 2025 season, culminating in a dominant performance during the league stage where they finished atop the points table. Under the leadership of Shreyas Iyer, PBKS made their first playoff appearance since 2014, ultimately reaching the final for only the second time in their history, where they finished as runners-up.
In a nail-biting final at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad, PBKS managed to restrict their opponents, Royal Challengers Bangalore, to a seemingly below-par total of 191. However, despite their efforts, PBKS fell short in the chase, finishing at 184/7 in their allotted 20 overs.
The question of whether the pitch became more challenging for batting in the second innings naturally arose, but PBKS batter Nehal Wadhera offers a different perspective, squarely attributing the defeat to his own performance.
The 24-year-old Wadhera feels he misjudged the tempo of his innings, believing he should have adopted a more aggressive approach rather than focusing on taking the game deep. He scored a modest 15 runs off 18 balls before his dismissal by Bhuvneshwar Kumar. “I totally blame myself,” Wadhera candidly told the Hindustan Times. “If I had played better at that time, we could have definitely won. I won’t blame the pitch because RCB scored 190 runs.” His honest self-assessment underscores the fine margins of an IPL final and the personal responsibility players often feel in such high-stakes moments.
