New Delhi: It was a dream beginning to Sheyas Iyer’stenure as Punjab Kings skipper. Not only did his team beat Gujarat Titans by 11 runs but he also scored a match-high 97 off 42 balls, striking five fours and nine sixes.
Riding on Iyer’s blistering knock, Punjab posted a huge 243 for five and then restricted Gujarat to 232 for five at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad.
Iyer led Kolkata Knight Riders to the title last year but wasn’t retained with Punjab shelling out Rs 26.75 crore to make him the second-most costly player at an IPL 2025 auction.
The big price tag had automatically put a lot of expectations on Iyer and he was glad to have responded immediately with a sparkling knock and give Punjab a winning start.
“(I am) ecstatic, to be honest. Getting 97 (not out) in the first match is always the icing on the cake. No better feeling to be honest,” Iyer told to the tournament’s official broadcaster after the match, as quoted by PTI.
“It was important for me to go ahead and adapt. I got four off the first ball, and that gave an immense boost. That flicked six off Rabada – I think the momentum change…”
‘Executed plans perfectly’
Iyer put together an 81-run stand for the sixth wicket with Shashank Singh off only 28 deliveries that turned out to be pivotal in shaping the match, which saw useful contributions from Vijaykumar Vyshak and Arshdeep Singh towards the end.
“There was some extra bounce as well. I think we adapted quickly. You see, the 44 runs (which) Shashank scored off 16 or 17 balls… with the dew coming in, we knew the scenario would be changing. Thankfully, we were able to execute,” he said.
“Vyshak is a funny character; he has got lot of traits in him where he comes in with a great attitude. His approach is stupendous. It was magnificent to watch from the outside.
“I think Arshdeep played an important role. He said the ball is reversing a bit; the saliva is helping. Before the season started, we left no stone unturned. Everyone chips in with their mindset. There’s everyone participating and showing interest,” he added.
Riding on Shreyas Iyer’s blistering knock of 97 runs off 42 balls, Punjab Kings posted a huge 243 for five and then restricted Gujarat Titans to 232 for five in Ahmedabad. Cricket Sports News: Latest Cricket News, Cricket Live Score, Sports Breaking News from Sports Today
