The Indian Premier League (IPL) began in 2008 and is now in its 18th season. The inaugural edition featured a competition among eight teams. Since 2022, the league has expanded to include 10 teams, with Gujarat Titans (GT) and Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) joining the tournament that year.
Punjab Kings (PBKS) have been a part of the IPL since its inception in 2008. Until the 2020 season, they competed under the name Kings XI Punjab, before rebranding to Punjab Kings in 2021.
Despite being one of the original franchises, PBKS have never won an IPL title. Over the years, the team has featured and been captained by prominent names like Yuvraj Singh, Adam Gilchrist, Virender Sehwag, Ravichandran Ashwin, Shikhar Dhawan, and KL Rahul. However, none of these star players managed to lead the team to championship glory.
When it comes to playoff appearances, PBKS have struggled as well. They have only made it to the playoffs three times— in IPL 2008, IPL 2014, and most recently, in IPL 2025. Let’s take a closer look at how PBKS have performed in the playoffs throughout their IPL journey.
IPL 2008 – Semi-final Exit
The inaugural edition of the IPL did not follow the current playoffs format. Instead, the top four teams after the league stage advanced directly to the semi-finals. In 2008, Punjab Kings (then Kings XI Punjab) were captained by Sri Lankan star Kumar Sangakkara. They had an impressive league campaign, finishing second on the points table.
However, their journey ended in the second semi-final, where they suffered a crushing nine-wicket defeat to Chennai Super Kings (CSK). A disappointing batting display saw PBKS post just 112/8, which CSK chased down comfortably. As a result, PBKS missed out on a spot in the final.
IPL 2014 – Runners-up Finish
After their 2008 run, PBKS returned to the top four in the 2014 season. Led by former Australian cricketer George Bailey, the team dominated the league stage, securing the top position in the points table.
Despite a 28-run loss to Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) in Qualifier 1, PBKS bounced back with a victory over CSK in Qualifier 2 to book their place in the final. In a closely contested final, they once again faced KKR but fell short by three wickets, finishing as the tournament’s runners-up.
