Punjab Kings batter Shashank Singh was brimming with pride when asked by a reporter about the podcast he recorded days before the start of the IPL 2025 season.

His words in that podcast with journalist Shubhankar Mishra have now come true, despite sounding somewhat ambitious at the time. Shashank had predicted that Punjab Kings would finish in the top two of the standings - and they did, ending the league with 19 points from 14 matches.

PBKS secured their top-two spot on Monday, 27 May, comfortably chasing down 185 runs in Jaipur. This success guarantees them a place in Qualifier 1 - giving them two chances to reach the final.

The clip of Shashank's bold prediction quickly went viral on social media minutes after PBKS dismantled MI. The Punjab Kings themselves shared the clip, amplifying the excitement.

"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 reflecting on his podcast prediction coming true.

PBKS, often labelled perennial underachievers, have finished in the top two of the league table for the first time since 2014. After years of struggling for consistency, they found their rhythm in IPL 2025 under Shreyas Iyer's captaincy and Ricky Ponting's coaching staff.

"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.

"But manifesting is one thing, and believing is another. So, we believed, we manifested, and then we worked hard. Full credit to the management, the support staff, everyone - every single individual contributed," he added.

Throughout the season, PBKS have found new heroes in every match. While their established stars - including Shreyas Iyer, Arshdeep Singh, Marcus Stoinis, and Yuzvendra Chahal - stepped up, the team has also relied heavily on uncapped Indian players to deliver crucial performances.

Priyansh Arya and Shashank Singh have been consistent with the bat throughout the campaign. In Monday's challenging chase of 185, Priyansh displayed great maturity during his 109-run partnership with Josh Inglis, who is hitting his stride at just the right time.

RICKY AND IYER BUILT A STRONG TEAM CULTURE: SHASHANK

Shashank attributed PBKS' success in IPL 2025 to the positive dressing room environment fostered by Ponting and Iyer. He said that everyone in the team, from star players to the team bus driver, has been respected and made to feel part of the family.

"That was the main motto of Ponting sir and Shreyas from Day 1. We spoke about creating a culture where we care for each other, and obviously, the results will take care of themselves. He changed everything: the culture, the mindset, the belief. He's the one who changed our perspective. He made sure that we built that culture. On the first day, he and Shreyas told us that we would respect Yuzi Chahal, probably our most senior player, and the team bus driver with equal respect. This is the culture they have built," Shashank said.

PBKS will play Qualifier 1 in Mullanpur, their home venue, on Thursday. They will face either Royal Challengers Bangalore or Gujarat Titans in this crucial fixture.