Exclusive - "Won't Be Right If We Keep Cursing": PBKS Star Nehal Wadhera On IPL 2025 Final Heartbreak
IPL 2025 was like a dream for Punjab Kings fans, which eventually ended in heartbreak.
IPL 2025 was like a dream for Punjab Kings fans, which eventually ended in heartbreak. Under the captaincy of Shreyas Iyer, the Punjab-based franchise dominated the season with nine wins in 14 games and finished at the top of the points table. In the Playoffs, PBKS were crushed by Royal Challengers Bengaluru in Qualifier 1, but they bounced back with an emphatic win over Mumbai Indians in Qualifier 2 to reach the final. The summit clash went down in history as RCB clinched their maiden IPL title, shattering PBKS' dreams.
Chasing 191 in Ahmedabad, PBKS were off to a terrific start, but RCB's bowlers quickly regained control and restricted Shreyas Iyer's men to 184/7. Those six runs felt like a hundred as the likes of Iyer, Shashank Singh, Nehal Wadhera, Arshdeep Singh, and others stood helpless.
As the 2026 season approaches, PBKS are back on the field with a renewed determination to clinch the title. Recently, NDTV spoke with Nehal Wadhera, who played a crucial role in PBKS' impressive 2025 campaign.
In an exclusive interview, Nehal discussed the team's approach after the heartbreak of the 2025 final, PBKS' new recruits, and the pre-season training camp in Abu Dhabi. Here are excerpts from the conversation:
NDTV: A new IPL season is just a month away. How are the preparations going, and what's the mood in the camp right now?
Nehal: The mood is obviously amazing. It's the first time I'm stepping out of India with the Punjab Kings, so it's a great opportunity for players who haven't played outside India. I think they are enjoying the conditions here as well. The weather is great, and we're learning a lot from our coaches. The positive environment is definitely one of the key factors-something we have maintained since last year and are continuing this year-so that we can replicate last season's results, barring the final.
NDTV: Speaking of last year's IPL, the final was a heartbreak. How did you deal with it?
Nehal: It's definitely tough when you reach the final step and end up on the losing side. It took all of us a long time to overcome that moment. Yes, the memory of the final still stays with us, and we are preparing accordingly-so that if we end up in a similar situation, we know how to play, how to think, and how to handle it. We are focused on one goal: the trophy. What happened has happened, and cursing on it won't help. We took our learnings from that game, and now we're working on them.
NDTV: In the mini-auction, PBKS retained their core, keeping most of the squad intact. What do you have to say about the new recruits?
Nehal: We got four-five players this year-there's Vishal Nishad, Cooper Connolly, and Ben Dwarshuis. All three have been performing really well. Vishal had a great run in the UP league, and after facing him in the nets, we can see he has the calibre to perform in the IPL.
Talking about Cooper and Ben, they've been impressive too. I watched some of their highlights during the Big Bash. Cooper is a fantastic all-rounder who can bowl in the powerplay, bat in the powerplay, and also finish down the order. He's a very versatile player who can adapt to any situation. I also saw Ben's bowling-he's a quick bowler with good variations.
NDTV: The opening duo of Prabhsimran Singh and Priyansh Arya impressed everyone with their batting in 2025. Do you think they can replicate that form in 2026?
Nehal: I don't think they'll just repeat their previous season-I'm expecting an even better season from them, and so are they. Every player enters a new IPL season with new goals. A player is never satisfied with his performance-that hunger is what helps him grow. Even in practice, I can see how hard they're working, how focused they are on improving, and how determined they are to take their game to the next level.
Punjab Kings
Royal Challengers Bengaluru