Punjab Kings (PBKS) had a shaky start in the IPL 2025 final after their star pacer Arshdeep Singh bowled the most expensive first over in the history of IPL finals. Facing Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB), Arshdeep gave away 13 runs in the opening over, setting an unwanted record on the biggest stage of the tournament.
A Nightmare Start for PBKS in the IPL 2025 Final
The drama unfolded after PBKS captain Shreyas Iyer won the toss and elected to bowl first. Arshdeep Singh was handed the new ball, but things didn’t go according to plan. He began with a wide, followed by two dot balls. However, what came next turned the tide early in RCB’s favor.
Phil Salt, RCB’s in-form opener, took full advantage of Arshdeep’s loose deliveries. A half-tracker was sent soaring over deep fine leg for a six, and a poorly directed short ball down the leg side was nudged fine for four more. While Arshdeep managed to end the over with a dot, the damage had already been done—13 runs on the board, making it the costliest first over in any IPL final.
Previously, the record for the most expensive first over in an IPL final was jointly held by Mohammed Shami (GT, 2023) and Mitchell Johnson (KKR, 2014), both conceding 10 runs.
Phil Salt’s Short-Lived Cameo
Despite the explosive start, Phil Salt’s innings was cut short quickly. In just the second over, he attempted to continue his aggressive approach but ended up miscuing a shot off Kyle Jamieson’s delivery. Shreyas Iyer, showing exceptional athleticism, took a brilliant back-pedaling catch to dismiss Salt for 16 off 9 balls.
The early breakthrough gave PBKS a much-needed morale boost, but the costly first over from Arshdeep Singh could have a lasting impact on the outcome of the IPL 2025 final.
