April 16, 2025: Shreyas Iyer, captain of Punjab Kings (PBKS), lived through contrasting emotions within a span of just a few days in IPL 2025. After his team failed to defend a massive 245-run total against Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH), PBKS turned things around spectacularly by defending just 112 runs against Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) — the lowest successful defence in IPL history.
At the heart of this redemption was Iyer’s bold, instinctive captaincy and a game-changing spell from Yuzvendra Chahal, who claimed 4 wickets for 12 runs in just three overs.
“It is hard to express in words. I was just backing my instincts,” Iyer said during the post-match presentation. “I saw the ball turn a bit and asked Yuzi to control his breathing and attack. The right players were in the right places. Such wins make it special.”
Reading the Pitch Early
Iyer revealed that he sensed the difficulty of the surface when he came out to bat, facing unpredictable bounce that made strokeplay difficult.
“When I faced two balls — one stayed low and the other hit the bottom of the bat — I knew it wasn’t an easy surface. People were struggling to sweep, and there was variable bounce,” he explained.
Using that information, Iyer crafted a fielding plan focused on pressure and close-in catching, encouraging his bowlers to keep things tight and let the pitch do the rest.
“We had this at the back of our mind and asked the bowlers to factor that in. They executed perfectly,” Iyer added.
Chahal’s Game-Changing Spell
The match tilted when Chahal picked up two wickets in two balls, shifting momentum in PBKS’s favour. Iyer trusted Chahal’s experience and match awareness.
“When we saw Yuzi turn the ball, our expectations rose. I set an attacking field — right in the batters’ faces — and the pressure did the rest. That’s when the tide turned.”
Chahal’s performance, combined with a disciplined bowling effort, restricted KKR to 95 all out, handing PBKS a famous 16-run victory.
Staying Grounded After a Big Win
Despite the record-setting victory against his former franchise, Iyer emphasized the importance of staying grounded.
“It’s important we stay humble and not get over-hyped with this win. We’ll take the positives and look to execute from ball one in the next game.”
With this result, PBKS registered their fourth win in six games, rising to fourth place on the IPL 2025 points table. Their next clash is an away game against Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) on April 18.