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Former India off-spinner Ravichandran Ashwin lavished praise on Shreyas Iyer for the way he handles pressure, calling him calm and very clear in his thinking while chasing big targets.
In a post on X, Ashwin said Iyer looks completely in control when he is batting. He pointed out how Iyer understands the situation of the game, guides his batting partner, and picks the right moments to attack. According to him, not many players show this level of composure in tense chases.
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Ashwin also said that while there are many exciting batters today who can hit big shots, very few have the balance that Iyer has, the mix of calmness, awareness, and smart aggression. He summed it up simply by calling Iyer’s approach “top class.”
PBKS defeated SRH
This praise came after Punjab Kings pulled off a big win against Sunrisers Hyderabad in a high-scoring game at Mullanpur.
Batting first, Hyderabad put up a strong total of 219 for 6. The start they got was outstanding, thanks to Abhishek Sharma and Travis Head. The two attacked right from the beginning and added 120 runs in just over eight overs.
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Abhishek was especially aggressive, scoring 74 off just 28 balls with eight sixes and five fours. He reached his fifty in only 18 balls. Head also played a quick knock of 38 off 23 balls as Hyderabad crossed 100 inside the powerplay.
Punjab managed to pull things back a bit in the middle overs. Shashank Singh removed both openers in the same over, which slowed down the scoring. Even though Hyderabad kept going at a good pace, they lost wickets at regular intervals towards the end.
Ishan Kishan scored 27, while Heinrich Klaasen added 39, but they couldn’t push the total beyond 220. For Punjab, Shashank picked up two wickets, Arshdeep Singh also took two, and Xavier Bartlett chipped in with one.
PBKS chase
In reply, Punjab came out with a clear plan and attacked from the start. Priyansh Arya smashed 57 off just 20 balls, while Prabhsimran Singh made 51 off 25. Their aggressive batting gave Punjab a perfect start, as they crossed 100 in no time.
Hyderabad did try to fight back when Shivang Kumar picked up a few quick wickets, including both openers. But Iyer held the innings together.
He played a smart and controlled knock, staying unbeaten on 69 off 33 balls. He first steadied things and then accelerated at the right time. Along with Nehal Wadhera and later Shashank, he made sure the team stayed ahead in the chase.
Iyer finished the match calmly, taking Punjab to 223 for 4 in just under 19 overs. Shashank was there at the end with him, helping close out the game.
Shivang Kumar gets three wicket haul
For Hyderabad, Shivang Kumar was the best bowler with three wickets, but overall, the bowling unit couldn’t control Punjab’s aggressive batting, especially in the powerplay and at the end.
With this win, Punjab Kings completed their 10th successful chase of a 200-plus total in IPL history, showing once again how strong they are when chasing big scores.
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