Punjab Kings captain Shreyas Iyer hailed the dressing room culture and coach Ricky Ponting’s leadership after his team clinched a top-two finish in IPL 2025 with a convincing seven-wicket victory over Mumbai Indians. PBKS have now secured a place in Qualifier 1, their first playoff appearance since 2014.
“Easy to Backstab When Down”: Iyer on Team Mentality
Speaking at the post-match presentation, Iyer emphasized the trust, camaraderie, and positive energy within the squad:
“The camaraderie has been there for the past few years between Ricky and I. He gives me a lot of freedom. When you’re down in the dumps, it’s easy to backstab each other, but our dressing room has been top-notch throughout.”
Iyer praised the support staff and management for backing the players, highlighting how consistent relationships and clear communication played a pivotal role in PBKS’ turnaround this season.
Young Stars Shine as PBKS Dominate MI
Iyer specifically applauded Priyansh Arya (62 off 35) and Josh Inglis (73 off 42) for delivering under pressure:
“Priyansh was fabulous. Young players are fearless. Inglis, despite his role being chopped and changed, showed his class when promoted up the order.”
MI Skipper Hardik Pandya Reflects on Shortfall
Hardik Pandya, captain of Mumbai Indians, admitted his side was 20 runs short and not clinical enough with the ball:
“The way the wicket played, we were definitely 20 runs short. This was just a blip. We’ll learn from this and look ahead to the playoffs.”
He acknowledged PBKS capitalized on loose deliveries and stressed the need for sharper execution in upcoming matches.
PBKS now head into the playoffs with strong momentum, having sealed one of the top two spots with 18 points from 13 games. Their performance under Iyer’s leadership has revitalized the franchise and sparked new hope among fans.
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