Shashank Singh (Source: Punjab Kings)
Punjab Kings (PBKS) stormed their way into the playoffs for the first time since 2014 and have now secured a place in Qualifier 1 after defeating the Mumbai Indians (MI) by seven wickets at the Sawai Mansingh Stadium in Jaipur.
After finishing in the top two of the IPL 2025 league table with 19 points from 14 matches, a two-month-old video resurfaced, where PBKS batter made a bold prediction during an interaction on journalist Shubhankar Mishra’s YouTube channel. When asked to predict the top four teams, Shashank confidently mentioned that his team, Punjab Kings, to hold the top spot.
"Punjab Kings Number one. Top Two Bol Raha Hu. Jis Din 14th match hoga message karunga aapko ki mera podcast chala do first. (I am saying top two. The day of the 14th match, I will message you to play my podcast again," said Shashank.
Watch the video below:
In the game, chasing 185 in a virtual knockout for the top two, produced a clinical performance, thanks to Josh Inglis and Priyansh Arya. The result not only pushed the team to Qualifier 1, which they’ll play at their home ground in Mullanpur on May 29, but also brought back the now-famous podcast clip that quickly went viral on social media. Speaking to the franchise's media team after the match, Shashank reflected on the moment.
"It feels surreal. Finishing in the top two is not easy in a league like the IPL. To be very honest, it's very satisfying," Shashank said.
When asked whether he genuinely believed in that prediction, the right-handed batter mentioned he always had faith in this team to do wonders under the leadership of Shreyas Iyer and Ricky Ponting.
"No. I always believed. The day I met Shreyas and Ricky Ponting. I knew whatever statement made. I had a word with Shreyas, he asked me what the difference is between believing and doing. Earlier, I just believed. Now I know. The best thing is, obviously, we manifested this as a team, not just individually, but as a unit. Right after the auction, we created a WhatsApp group and talked about winning the title this year. Our first aim was to finish in the top two, and we've cleared that hurdle," he added.
