Punjab Kings are back in the playoffs after a decade—Here's a story of the team that came closest to lifting the trophy in 2014
It has taken 11 long years, but the wait is over. Punjab Kings have reached the IPL playoffs once again. Their journey has been anything but smooth. From finishing eighth and ninth in the past two seasons to becoming one of the top contenders in 2025, it has been a dramatic turnaround. The last time they advanced to the knockout stages was in 2014. That season was magical. That team was fearless. And the captain? George Bailey — calm, composed, and quietly effective.
Rewinding to 2014, the team was known as Kings XI Punjab. That squad played with flair and fun. They topped the table with 11 wins from 14 matches. It wasn't a fluke; it was domination. Chennai Super Kings briefly overtook them midway, but Punjab returned with determination. They were sharp with the bat and clever with the ball. With George Bailey at the helm and Glenn Maxwell in beast mode, KXIP looked unstoppable. The Max effect had arrived.
Punjab kicked off their campaign in the UAE, and what a start it was! Five wins in a row as they steamrolled the teams from Chennai, Rajasthan, Hyderabad, Kolkata, and Bengaluru. Maxwell was untouchable, with three back-to-back fifties — 95, 95, and 89 — leaving bowlers utterly clueless. Punjab chased down big targets and defended tricky totals, looking like a team reborn. Every player contributed, and that unbeaten run made fans believe: maybe, just maybe, this was their year.
After a remarkable run in the UAE, reality hit on home soil. Mumbai Indians, who had not secured a victory in the UAE, handed Punjab their first defeat. However, the Kings did not stay down for long. They struck back hard. Maxwell once again performed brilliantly, smashing 90 off just 38 balls against CSK. But the journey was not smooth. A loss to KKR followed. Yet, Punjab showed resilience. They secured wins, game after game. Only Mumbai managed to beat them twice that season. In the end, Punjab clinched the top spot with 22 points.
The playoffs brought tension. In Qualifier 1, rain loomed as a threat, and KKR bested Punjab by 24 runs. However, topping the table provided Punjab with another opportunity. In Qualifier 2, they faced CSK once more. That’s when Virender Sehwag rolled back the years. He hammered 122, sending the crowd into a frenzy. Punjab posted a mountain — 226. CSK fought valiantly but couldn't match the pace. With a 24-run victory, Punjab secured their first-ever spot in an IPL final. Emotions ran high. The dream was just one step away.
The final in 2014 was epic. Wriddhiman Saha lit up the night with an unbeaten 115 off just 55 balls. It was a flawless century. Punjab posted 199 on the board. But fate had other plans. Manish Pandey's brilliant 94 off 50, supported by Yusuf Pathan's aggression and Gautam Gambhir's composure, took KKR over the line. With three balls to spare, Punjab's hopes slipped away. It was heartbreak — the closest they had ever come to glory. Maxwell, who scored 552 runs that season, had played his part. But the silverware remained elusive.
Now, in 2025, the Punjab Kings are back in the mix. The ghosts of past seasons have been laid to rest — at least for the time being. Amidst this resurgence, a new chapter in their history has been written. Shreyas Iyer became the first IPL captain to guide three franchises to the playoffs. Under his leadership, the Punjab Kings ended their 11-year exile from the knockouts. It feels full circle — a new face at the helm, but the same dream reignited. Perhaps this time, the story will have a happier ending.
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