Shreyas Iyer marked his debut as Punjab Kings (PBKS) captain in emphatic fashion, smashing an unbeaten 97 off 42 balls to guide his team to an 11-run victory over Gujarat Titans (GT) in their Indian Premier League (IPL) encounter on Tuesday.
Shashank Singh played a blistering cameo, hammering 44 off just 16 balls, as PBKS amassed an imposing total of 243 for five. GT, despite a valiant chase led by Sai Sudharsan’s 74 off 41 balls and Jos Buttler’s 54 off 33 deliveries, fell short at 232 for five.
Iyer, in scintillating form, struck nine sixes and five fours but was denied his maiden IPL century as Shashank took centre stage in the final over, plundering 23 runs to propel PBKS past the 240-run mark.
The GT bowlers struggled in the death overs, conceding 135 runs in the last eight, while their fielding also left much to be desired.
During his masterclass, Iyer showcased his ability to counter the short ball—a vulnerability often exploited by opponents in the past.
GT’s spirited chase falls short
Set a daunting 244 for victory, GT began aggressively with Shubman Gill and Sudharsan stitching together 61 runs in under six overs.
However, Gill perished for 33 off 14 balls, falling to Glenn Maxwell’s delivery after mistiming a stroke.
Buttler then joined Sudharsan, and their 84-run stand kept GT in the hunt. Sudharsan, however, misjudged a pull shot off Arshdeep Singh and holed out in the deep.
With dew playing a role and Buttler at the crease, GT remained in contention.
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Sherfane Rutherford’s lusty blows off Marcus Stoinis bolstered their charge, but PBKS found an unlikely hero in Vijaykumar Vyshak. The impact substitute bowled a game-changing 15th over, conceding just five runs and swinging the momentum PBKS’s way.
Marco Jansen then tightened the screws further, giving away a mere eight runs in the next over. With GT requiring 57 runs off the final three overs, the challenge proved too steep despite their aggressive intent.
PBKS dominate with the bat
Earlier, PBKS opener Priyansh Arya displayed a fearless approach, smashing 47 off 23 balls.
The young batter, acquired for ₹3.8 crore at the auction, took on the GT bowlers, carting Mohammed Siraj over deep square leg for a six before dispatching left-arm pacer Arshad Khan for 21 runs in an over.
Kagiso Rabada made the first breakthrough, dismissing Prabhsimran Singh, paving the way for Iyer’s arrival.
The PBKS skipper made an immediate impact, driving Rabada exquisitely for a four before lofting him for a six over deep square leg.
Arya’s attacking innings was cut short when Rashid Khan deceived him with a sharply turning delivery that stayed low, leading to a top edge and a simple catch.
Azmatullah Omarzai briefly countered Rashid’s threat with a first-ball six, but the leg-spinner soon found support from R Sai Kishore, who struck twice in two balls, dismissing Omarzai and Maxwell to reduce PBKS to 105 for four.
Unfazed, Iyer pressed on, bringing up his half-century off 27 balls.
He took on Sai Kishore, lofting him for a six over long off before repeating the feat in the same over.
The onslaught continued as Iyer smacked Rashid for consecutive sixes—one straight down the ground and another over deep midwicket.
As the innings neared its close, Shashank Singh provided the final flourish, hammering six fours and two sixes to push PBKS to a match-winning total.
PBKS’s bowlers then held their nerve in the death overs, ensuring that Iyer’s masterclass did not go in vain, as they secured a hard-fought victory.
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