Mullanpur (Punjab) [India]: After leading Punjab Kings (PBKS) to a thrilling win over defending champions Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR), skipper Shreyas Iyer reflected on the importance of maintaining an attacking mindset, making smart field placements, and staying grounded despite historic victories.
Just a year ago, Iyer was on the receiving end as KKR captain when PBKS chased down a record 262 at Eden Gardens. Fast forward to Mullanpur, and he now stands tall as the PBKS skipper who defended the lowest total in Indian Premier League (IPL) history — 111 runs.
Speaking during the post-match presentation, Iyer said:
“It is hard to express in words. I was just backing my instincts. I saw the ball turn a bit, asked Yuzi to control his breathing a bit. We needed to be attacking and the right players were in the right places. It is tough to talk right now, and such wins make it special.”
He also pointed out the inconsistency of the pitch conditions and how his team adapted:
“I personally felt, when I went out to bat, I faced two balls – one stayed low and one hit the bottom of the bat, people were finding it difficult to sweep. There was a variable bounce in the wicket, we got a decent total to be honest, looking at the win of 16 runs. The bounce was not consistent. We had this at the back of our mind and we asked the bowlers to keep this in mind. And they executed it.”
Describing the turning point, Iyer credited Yuzvendra Chahal’s spin and the aggressive field placements:
“Two wickets in two overs gave us that kind of momentum, and the two batters came in and took the momentum towards them. When we saw Yuzi come in and turn the ball, our hopes and expectations were higher and I wanted the field to be attacking and right in front of their face so that they make mistakes, and the tide turned towards us.”
But Iyer also emphasized the importance of not getting carried away:
“It is important we stay humble and not get over-hyped with this win. It is important we take all the positives from this game and try to execute from ball one in the next game.”
Match Recap:
Also SEE : Punjab Kings Make IPL History By Defending Lowest Total To Defeat KKR
PBKS won the toss and opted to bat first. Priyansh Arya (22 off 12) and Prabhsimran Singh (30 off 15) gave them a fiery 39-run start. But Harshit Rana (3/25) and strong fielding pulled KKR back into the game, leaving PBKS at 54/4 by the powerplay. Narine (2/14) and Varun Chakravarthy (2/21) capitalized to dismiss the team for 111 in 15.3 overs.
What followed was one of the most memorable comebacks in IPL history. Chahal (4/28) and Marco Jansen (3/17) dismantled KKR’s batting lineup, despite resistance from Angkrish Raghuvanshi (37) and Andre Russell (17). KKR were bowled out for 95 in 15.1 overs, handing PBKS a sensational 16-run win.
With this victory, PBKS sits at fourth place on the table with 4 wins and 2 losses (8 points), while KKR are sixth with 3 wins and 4 losses (6 points).