Punjab Kings suffered an early jolt as Prabhsimran Singh departed cheaply, leaving the team in need of stability
Shreyas Iyer (Pic: iplt20/BCCI)
Newly appointed Punjab Kings (PBKS) captain Shreyas Iyer delivered a stellar performance, scoring a fluent half-century off just 27 balls against Gujarat Giants in a high-octane IPL 2025 clash at the Narendra Modi Stadium on Tuesday.
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Punjab Kings suffered an early jolt as Prabhsimran Singh departed cheaply, leaving the team in need of stability. Iyer stepped in to rebuild the innings, displaying his trademark composure and strokeplay. Partnering with IPL debutant Priyansh Arya, he steered Punjab towards a competitive total.
Arya, making an impressive start to his IPL career, fell just short of a maiden half-century, scoring a quickfire 47 off 23 balls. However, his knock provided the perfect foundation for Punjab, which Iyer capitalized on. The skipper reached his 50 in style, smashing a six off Rashid Khan in the 14th over, marking his 28th IPL half-century.
Even as Punjab Kings seemed to be cruising, Sai Kishore spun his web, dismissing Glenn Maxwell and Azmatullah Omarzai in consecutive deliveries, halting Punjab’s momentum momentarily. Despite this, Iyer’s authoritative knock ensured PBKS remained in the contest.
With this knock, he became only the seventh IPL captain to cross 2000 runs, joining a prestigious list that includes legends like Virat Kohli, MS Dhoni, Rohit Sharma, and David Warner.
The 30-year-old Mumbai batter has been a consistent performer since making his IPL debut in 2015 with Delhi Daredevils (now Delhi Capitals). He later led Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) to their third IPL title in 2024 but was released ahead of the IPL 2025 mega auction due to failed contract negotiations. This season, he has taken over the reins of Punjab Kings, marking a new chapter in his IPL journey.
Adding to his achievements, Iyer became only the fourth player in IPL history to captain three different franchises, following in the footsteps of Mahela Jayawardene, Kumar Sangakkara, and Steve Smith.
With a solid IPL record of 3127 runs in 117 matches at a strike rate of 127.47, Iyer has once again proven his mettle as both a leader and a batter. His Punjab Kings debut innings not only set the tone for his new journey but also reinforced his reputation as one of the most reliable middle-order batsmen in the league.
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