The PBKS skipper Shreyas Iyer credits his breathing techniques and team’s aggressive intent for their thrilling five-wicket win over Mumbai Indians in Qualifier 2.
Ahmedabad (Gujarat), June 2: Punjab Kings (PBKS) captain Shreyas Iyer shared valuable insights on staying composed under pressure and leading by example after his heroic knock guided PBKS to a memorable victory over Mumbai Indians (MI) in Qualifier 2 of IPL 2025.
PBKS chased down a daunting target of 204 runs with an over to spare at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad on Monday night, sealing their place in the IPL final for the first time since 2014. Iyer’s blistering 87* off 41 balls, supported by Josh Inglis’ quickfire 38 and Nehal Wadhera’s steady 48, proved decisive as Punjab clinched a five-wicket win.
Speaking at the post-match presentation, Iyer emphasized the power of a calm mind in high-stakes situations. “I don’t know, to be honest,” he said. “I love such big occasions. I always say to myself and to my colleagues in the team that the bigger the occasion, the calmer you are, the better the results. Today was a perfect example where I was focusing more on my breathing rather than sweating out there.”
The captain also praised the team’s assertive approach during the chase, stating, “All players need to be assertive and show intent from ball one. The intent was stupendous, and even for me, I had to take some time to settle in.”
Iyer reflected on PBKS’s journey throughout the season and how they bounced back after a tough loss to RCB. “Just throw the imagination and the hiccup in the bin and not think too much about where we went wrong because throughout the season we’ve been playing amazing,” he remarked.
The game saw PBKS lose an early wicket in Prabhsimran Singh, but Inglis and Iyer steadied the innings with aggressive stroke play. Wadhera’s crucial partnership of 84 runs with Iyer kept PBKS ahead of the required rate, despite MI’s Ashwani Kumar picking up two wickets. Mumbai Indians had earlier posted 203/6, with Tilak Varma and Suryakumar Yadav scoring brisk 44-run knocks each.
Iyer’s fearless batting earned him the Player of the Match award. His innings featured five fours and eight towering sixes, leaving the crowd in awe and setting the stage for the final showdown against Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB).
For Iyer, who has now captained three different IPL teams to the final—Delhi Capitals (2020), Kolkata Knight Riders (2024), and PBKS (2025)—this was a reaffirmation of his leadership prowess and calm under pressure. PBKS fans, who have waited over a decade for another shot at the title, now have every reason to believe that their moment has finally arrived.