Punjab Kings captain Shreyas Iyer remained defiant and focused despite a crushing defeat to Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) in Qualifier 1 of IPL 2025 at Mullanpur on Thursday. In a match where nothing went their way—from losing the toss to a complete batting collapse—Punjab found themselves outplayed in all departments.
RCB chased down the meagre 101-run target in just 10 overs, sealing an 8-wicket win with 60 balls to spare—one of the most emphatic wins in IPL history.
Shreyas Iyer pointed to the pitch conditions, particularly variable bounce, as one of the challenges his batters failed to adapt to. But he made it clear that Punjab were not looking for excuses.
“We’ve got to work on our batting, especially on this wicket. In all the games we have played here, there has been some variable bounce. We can’t give such reasons because we are professionals at the end of the day, and we have to bat according to the situation, and we have to live up to it. We have lost the battle but not the war,” Shreyas said after the match.
While the heavy defeat could be disheartening for many, Shreyas emphasized the need to reflect and learn. He expressed confidence in the team’s pre-match strategies, attributing the loss to poor execution on the field rather than planning.
“Not a day to forget, but got to go back to the drawing board. We lost a lot of wickets (in the first innings). There’s a lot to go back and study on. I am not doubting on my decisions to be honest. Whatever we did in terms of planning, outside of the ground, or whatever (planning) we did, I think it was on point. Just that we couldn’t execute it on the field, can’t even blame the bowlers, as it was a low total to defend,” he added.
Punjab Kings still have a chance to reach the final. They will travel to Ahmedabad for Qualifier 2, where they will face the winner of the Eliminator clash between Mumbai Indians and Gujarat Titans.
Despite the setback, Shreyas Iyer and his team remain in the fight for their maiden IPL title, determined to bounce back stronger in the next knockout fixture.