Shreyas Iyer-led Punjab Kings triumphed over Shubman Gill’s Gujarat Titans by 11 runs in the fifth match of the ongoing Indian Premier League (IPL) 2025 season, held at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad on March 25 (Tuesday). A stellar unbeaten knock of 97 by Shreyas Iyer, coupled with a blistering 44-run cameo from Shashank Singh, powered PBKS to a formidable total of 243/5. In response, GT fell short, managing only 232 runs.
Punjab Kings put up an imposing total of 243/5 on the board, courtesy of skipper Shreyas Iyer’s unbeaten 97 and a fiery 44-run cameo from Shashank Singh. Iyer walked in to bat as early as the fourth over following Prabhsimran Singh’s dismissal off Kagiso Rabada’s delivery. Announcing his intent immediately, he struck a boundary on the very first ball he faced. Maintaining the momentum, he kept the scoreboard ticking and found solid support from Priyansh Arya, who smashed 47 off just 23 balls. Iyer reached his half-century in a mere 27 deliveries.
Shreyas Iyer’s Masterclass Takes PBKS Forward
Gujarat Titans managed to stage a brief comeback by picking up a couple of wickets in the middle overs, with Sai Kishore being the only bowler who wasn’t taken apart by the Punjab Kings’ batters. However, this didn’t deter Shreyas Iyer, who was determined to propel his team to a massive total. At the end of the 16th over, Iyer was batting on 66, but the 17th over, bowled by Prasidh Krishna, turned out to be a game-changer. After being struck on the ribs by the first delivery, Iyer responded in style smashing the next five balls for 24 runs including three towering sixes and a boundary. By the end of the over, he had surged past the 90-run mark.
As soon as Shashank Singh came onto the ground he looked comfortable from the first ball itself and made full use of death overs by scoring crucial runs in last overs of the innings. At the end of the 19th over Shreyas Iyer was unbeaten on 97 and both were looking to grab well-deserved milestones. But in a display of selflessness both the batters cared more about the team’s total than their respective individual milestones. Shashank was the man who stepped up for the last six balls, crashing 23 runs off them.
Fans Criticize Shashank Singh for Denying Iyer a Century
Although Iyer missed out on his maiden IPL century his efforts along with Shashank’s late blitz helped PBKS post a massive 243/5 Punjab’s second-highest IPL total. Despite the team’s success, some fans expressed their disappointment and took to social media to criticize Shashank for denying Iyer a century.
Crucial Partnership Between Jos Buttler and Sai Sudharsan
Captain Shubman Gill and Sai Sudharsan provided Gujarat Titans a good platform in their pursuit, adding 61 for the first wicket in the powerplay. But Gill got out quickly, scoring 33 runs off just 14 deliveries. Buttler also formed another important partnership with Sudharsan and the latter also got to a half-century.
Arshdeep Singh turned the game in Punjab Kings’ favor with a crucial breakthrough, dismissing Sai Sudharsan for a well-made 74 off 41 balls. This not only ended his solid 84-run stand with Jos Buttler but also put pressure back on Gujarat Titans. Buttler kept GT’s hopes alive, bringing up his fifty in just 31 balls. However, his dismissal on the last ball of the 18th over swung the momentum completely in PBKS’s favor.
With 44 runs needed from the final two overs, the task was simply too much for Gujarat. Despite promising starts from their top batters, they couldn’t finish the job, while Punjab Kings held their nerve and made a brilliant comeback with the ball. In the end, PBKS started their season on a high with a dominant victory.
IPL 2025 Points Table: After PBKS vs GT
READ ALSO: IPL 2025: RR vs KKR Dream11 Prediction, Playing XI, Pitch Report & Match Details
