Shreyas Iyer’s unbeaten 97 and Arshdeep’s clutch bowling power PBKS to 11-run victory in high-scoring nail-biter
Ahmedabad, March 25:
Punjab Kings (PBKS) clinched a thrilling 11-run win over Gujarat Titans (GT) in a high-octane IPL 2025 clash on Tuesday, defending a mammoth total of 243/5 at the Narendra Modi Stadium. With Arshdeep Singh holding his nerve in the death overs, Punjab sealed their first win of the season in a match that saw 475 runs scored.
Gujarat’s chase got off to a flying start, thanks to a solid 61-run opening partnership between skipper Shubman Gill and Sai Sudharsan. Gill looked in good touch but was dismissed for 33 by Glenn Maxwell, handing Punjab their first breakthrough.
Sudharsan kept the chase alive with a scintillating 74 off 41 balls, packed with five fours and six sixes. His dismissal by Arshdeep Singh in the 13th over proved to be a turning point, with GT at 145/2.
Jos Buttler and Sherfane Rutherford revived hopes for Gujarat with a 54-run stand. Buttler brought up a well-crafted half-century before being bowled by Marco Jansen for 54. Rutherford stayed till the end with a gritty 46 off 28 balls, but Arshdeep’s brilliant final over sealed the game for PBKS. Arshdeep finished with 2/36 and was the pick of the bowlers.
Punjab’s Power-Packed Innings
After being put in to bat, PBKS were off to a flyer with debutant Priyansh Arya setting the tone with a 23-ball 47, featuring seven boundaries and two sixes. His brisk knock took Punjab to 50 in just 4.3 overs before Rashid Khan ended his fireworks.
Punjab suffered a brief wobble in the middle, losing Maxwell for a golden duck and Azmatullah Omarzai for 16. But the innings was steadied by Shreyas Iyer, who anchored brilliantly while launching the final assault in the death overs.
Iyer remained unbeaten on a stunning 97, narrowly missing a century, and was well supported by Shashank Singh, who smashed a blistering 44 off just 16 deliveries. Their 81-run stand in the final overs lifted PBKS to a massive 243/5.
For Gujarat, Sai Kishore was the standout bowler, finishing with 3/30. Rashid Khan and Kagiso Rabada took a wicket each but struggled to contain the run-flow.
Brief Score:
Punjab Kings 243/5 (Shreyas Iyer 97, Priyansh Arya 47; Sai Kishore 3/30)*
Gujarat Titans 232/5 (Sai Sudharsan 74, Jos Buttler 54; Arshdeep Singh 2/36)
Tags: Punjab Kings, Gujarat Titans, IPL 2025, Shreyas Iyer, Sai Sudharsan, Jos Buttler, Arshdeep Singh, Priyansh Arya, PBKS vs GT, IPL match highlights
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