The PBKS captain lauds Abhishek Sharma’s explosive knock, admits poor fielding and over-rotation hurt his team in the record-smashing loss
April 13, 2025: In what turned out to be one of the most jaw-dropping run chases in IPL history, Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) made a mockery of Punjab Kings’ (PBKS) massive 245-run total, gunning it down with 8 wickets and 12 balls to spare. A stunned Shreyas Iyer, captain of PBKS, could only chuckle in disbelief during the post-match presentation.
“It still makes me laugh that they chased it with two overs to spare,” said Iyer, whose team had walked off confidently at the halfway mark after putting 245/6 on the board.
“We Did Not Bowl To Our Expectations” – Iyer Admits Tactical Flaws
While Iyer acknowledged Abhishek Sharma’s record-smashing 141 off 55 balls as “one of the best knocks” he has ever seen, he didn’t shy away from pointing out Punjab’s own shortcomings:
Also Read: Abhishek Sharma Smashes Record-Breaking 137 as SRH Thrash Punjab Kings in Historic Chase
- “We could have taken a few catches, but he (Abhishek) was lucky.”
- “The over-rotation could have been better. Ferguson can give you wickets, but injuries happen.”
- “The dew made it harder for us in the second innings.”
PBKS, despite the early fireworks from Arya, Prabhsimran, and a sensational 82 off 36 by Iyer himself, were outdone by the opening duo of Abhishek and Travis Head (66 off 37), who stitched a 171-run stand.
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“Travishek” Show Dismantles PBKS
The Twitterverse dubbed the duo “Travishek”, and rightfully so. Their combination not only neutralised the early total but rendered it irrelevant in just 17.3 overs. The game also featured:
- The highest-ever IPL score by an Indian (Abhishek – 141)
- The second-highest run chase in IPL history
Points Table Shift & Takeaways
- SRH climbed to 8th place (2 wins, 4 losses)
- PBKS remained at 6th, with 3 wins in 5 matches
Iyer remained upbeat despite the setback, stating:
“These are learnings for us going forward… The way they batted was out of the world.”
Tags: Shreyas Iyer Reaction, Abhishek Sharma Century, SRH vs PBKS, IPL 2025 Highlights, Highest Run Chase IPL, Travis Head, Punjab Kings, Sunrisers Hyderabad