New Delhi: Punjab Kings skipper Shreyas Iyer offered a philosophical take after his team’s five-wicket victory over Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) on Friday, April 19. Iyer highlighted the “variety” of experiences in IPL 2025, noting the wide range of match scenarios his team has faced—from low-scoring thrillers to high-scoring encounters.
Punjab’s bowling performance was the key to the win, as they successfully defended a modest target of just 96 runs in the 13th over. The team’s bowlers executed their plans with precision, overcoming brief scares along the way.
“As they say, variety is the spice of life. It’s been exciting to experience all kinds of games this season. It’s a great challenge,” Iyer said during the post-match presentation. “There wasn’t much thinking involved, to be honest. I made instinctive decisions, and the wickets kept coming.”
Iyer also praised Marco Jansen, who played a crucial role in maintaining control. “I didn’t want the new batter to settle quickly, so Marco’s bounce on this wicket was key. He was bowling really well, and he steadied the ship. The rest of the bowlers also contributed,” Iyer added.
Punjab’s recent performances have been full of drama. In their last two games, they experienced both ends of the spectrum. Against Sunrisers Hyderabad, they posted a massive 245 while batting first but were eventually defeated by an explosive century from Abhishek Sharma. In their next match, they were bowled out for just 111 against Kolkata Knight Riders, but a brilliant four-wicket haul from Yuzvendra Chahal helped Punjab bowl out Kolkata for a mere 95, securing a 16-run victory.
The match against RCB was a rain-affected encounter, with only 28 overs of play. Despite the weather challenges, Punjab adapted and managed to secure another win.
Reflecting on the pitch conditions, Iyer shared, “We weren’t sure how the wicket would play, but our bowlers adjusted really well. When I spoke to Arshdeep Singh, he mentioned that hitting on the hard length was tough because no fast bowler was able to hit a six down the ground.”
Punjab’s next match is against Royal Challengers Bangalore on Sunday, April 20, at home.
