The Indian Premier League (IPL) 2025 final between Punjab Kings (PBKS) and Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) was set up to be a thrilling contest. PBKS, chasing a challenging 183-run target, had hope when Josh Inglis (45 off 28) was going strong. However, the match turned on its head when Nehal Wadhera, one of PBKS’s most promising youngsters this season, played an inexplicably slow innings that derailed the chase.
Despite Shashank Singh’s heroic unbeaten 51 (30) in the death overs, PBKS fell short by 6 runs, and Wadhera’s painfully sluggish knock became the biggest talking point of the night.
The Context: PBKS’s Chase and Wadhera’s Entry
- Target: 191 (RCB posted 190/9)
- PBKS Score When Wadhera Came In: 79/3 (10 overs)
- Required Rate: 10.8 runs per over
- Situation: Inglis was well-set, and PBKS needed a strong partnership.
Wadhera, who had a breakthrough season in 2025, was expected to play a crucial role. However, what followed was one of the worst innings in IPL final history.
Wadhera’s Painfully Slow Inning: By the Numbers
Stat | Nehal Wadhera (vs RCB, Final) |
---|---|
Runs Scored | 15 |
Balls Faced | 18 |
Strike Rate | 83.33 |
Boundaries | 1 (a four) |
Dot Balls | 9 |
Partnership with Inglis | 24 runs off 26 balls |
Key Moments That Killed PBKS’s Momentum
- 11th Over (Lockie Ferguson): Wadhera managed just 2 runs off 5 balls, allowing RCB to build pressure.
- 13th Over (Wanindu Hasaranga): He struggled against spin, scoring only 4 runs off 7 balls in this phase.
- 15th Over (Cameron Green): A boundary off the 16th ball finally came, but by then, the required rate had climbed to 13+.
- Dismissal (Bhuvneswar Kumar, 18th over): Wadhera was finally out, leaving PBKS needing 55 off 22—a near-impossible task.
Where Wadhera Went Wrong
Strong Season Before Final: He had 350+ runs at 140+ SR in IPL 2025, making his final knock even more shocking.
Failed to Rotate Strike: 9 dot balls in 18 deliveries killed momentum.
No Intent Against Spinners: Hasaranga and Maxwell tied him down.
Left Too Much for Lower Order: Shashank Singh’s late heroics weren’t enough.
Worst Strike Rates in an IPL Final (Min. 15 Balls Faced)
Player | Strike Rate | Match | Year |
---|---|---|---|
R Ashwin | 50.00 | CSK vs MI | 2013 |
Ambati Rayudu | 80.00 | MI vs RPS | 2017 |
Nehal Wadhera | 83.33 | PBKS vs RCB | 2025 |
Jacques Kallis | 88.23 | RCB vs DC | 2009 |
Dwayne Bravo | 93.75 | CSK vs MI | 2013 |
Wadhera now holds the third-worst strike rate in an IPL final—a dubious record.
PBKS’s Missed Opportunity & Shashank’s Heroics
- Shashank Singh’s 51 (30)* showed what could have been.
- PBKS needed 30 off the last over (vs Ferguson) but fell short.
- Had Wadhera even scored at a 120 SR, PBKS might have won.
Fan Reactions:
- “Wadhera played like it was a Test match!”
- “Shashank deserved better support.”
- “This was PBKS’s best chance to win an IPL title, and Wadhera blew it.”
Conclusion: A Learning Curve for Wadhera
While Wadhera had a great season overall, his final knock will haunt him. For PBKS, this was a hard lesson in handling pressure. RCB, on the other hand, finally clinched their maiden IPL title, but the game could have gone either way if not for Wadhera’s struggle.
Final Thought:
*”In a tournament where every ball counts, Wadhera’s 18-ball 15 cost PBKS the trophy.”