The two teams will both be disappointed if they don’t reach the finals after the seasons they have had, but the case remains that only one can. Here is a look at how both teams have reached this stage, and who has the advantage when it comes to their head-to-head record.

Road to Qualifier 2

Punjab Kings finished top of the IPL table as they consistently racked up wins throughout the IPL season, ultimately beating Mumbai themselves to clinch that top spot. However, a loss to RCB in Qualifier 1, in which Shreyas Iyer’s team never quite came to the party, means that they will need to get to the Finals the long way.

Mumbai’s road was far more circuitous. After losing four of their first five matches, they received the boost of a returning Jasprit Bumrah, and immediately embarked on a six-match winning run to place themselves strongly in the playoff conversation. From there, they ensured they saw off Delhi Capitals in a virtual play-in match, qualifying in fourth, before putting together an impressive performance in the Eliminator against GT to reach the second Qualifier.

Punjab Kings vs Mumbai Indians head-to-head

MI hold the historic advantage over PBKS in the history of the IPL, but only narrowly so, winning on 17 occasions as compared to Punjab’s 16 wins. They also have far more experience in the playoffs and translating those to wins, lifting the trophy on 5 occasions, while Punjab are in the hunt for their very first.

The good news for Punjab is that they beat Mumbai in their only contest in 2025, and that was not too long ago, in their last match of the league stage on 26 May. That match in Jaipur saw an impressive PBKS performance restrict MI to an under-par total, before making light work of the chase thanks to a great stand between Priyansh Arya and Josh Inglis. With a bounce-back with the bat needed, Punjab will be hoping for a similarly clinical performance.

Who holds the advantage?

Punjab know how to beat this MI team in important games, having done so in their contest in the league stage. However, MI in the playoffs are an entirely different prospect, so clinical and a unit that tends to come alive in the pressure moments. Hardik Pandya will captain at a ground he is intimately familiar with, and with a win under their belt already, MI will feel they have much of the momentum heading into this contest. More needed from PBKS to overturn their disappointing result against RCB, and it might be an uphill battle for them.