'We missed out on...': Shreyas Iyer reveals the real reason behind PBKS' 4-wicket loss to GT

Punjab Kings (PBKS) suffered their second straight defeat of the season against the Gujarat Titans (GT) in the ongoing Indian Premier League (IPL) 2026. In the post-match interview, PBKS captain Shreyas Iyer revealed that the team had spearheaded plans to defend the modest total of 163, but it didn't materialize in the end, despite being a close encounter.

Also Read: IPL 2026: Sudharsan-Washington-Holder's helps GT record hat-trick of wins with 4-wicket victory over PBKS in last-over thriller

Shreyas Iyer speaks about team's performance

Shreyas Iyer pinpointed Punjab Kings’ inability to execute their bowling plans as the decisive factor in the game. Despite putting up what he believed was a competitive total, the skipper admitted that the team failed to capitalize with the ball, especially in crucial phases.

Reflecting on the mismatch between intent and execution, Iyer said:

"With the new ball, I thought we would be able to hit line and length and be accurate and get wickets, but didn't work out."

He further highlighted the core issue that cost PBKS control during the chase:

"We missed on hitting the hard lengths, I think."

"I personally thought it was a great score. New ball was doing a bit at the start. Their bowlers made best use of the surface, way they were hitting the deck. We lost four wickets in the powerplay, just to get to 160 from there was a phenomenal effort. Kudos to the effort: attitude and approach," he added.

"Hitting over midwicket wasn't easy on this wicket, there was variable bounce. In terms of execution, we fell short. We're still top of the table, we'll take positives from that.... Shows the character of the bowlers, wanted to win, didn't click today. Excited for the opportunity [in Hyderabad next]. Boys putting in hard yards. If the character is high, attitude is right, results will come eventually." Shreyas Iyer concluded.

Where PBKS stand in the points table

Despite losing two games on the trot (one against Rajasthan Royals), the Punjab Kings are still at the top of the points table with 13 points in nine games they have played so far.

The team has won six games, while one of their game against the Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) got washed out. After these two defeats PBKS' net run rate has also come down to 0.855. They'll now be facing Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) in their next game scheduled for Wednesday, May 6 at Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium, Hyderabad.