Punjab Kings stunned the Lucknow Super Giants in IPL 2025 with their highest total of the season — 236/5 — and a commanding 37-run win in Dharamsala. While the batters delivered fireworks, head coach Ricky Ponting credited the win to a tactical masterstroke by captain Shreyas Iyer.
Iyer’s Bold Call: Promote Inglis to No. 3
Speaking at the post-match press conference, Ponting revealed that the decision to promote Josh Inglis up the order was entirely Iyer’s idea.
“Shreyas came up with the move. We knew Mayank Yadav would bowl early, and Inglis handles short-pitched balls very well. It worked perfectly,” Ponting said.
Inglis replaced Priyansh Arya, who was dismissed early for 1, and smashed 30 off just 14 balls, including 4 sixes, helping PBKS get off to a flying start in the powerplay.
Punjab’s Deep Batting and Aggression Paid Off
With players like Shreyas Iyer (45), Prabhsimran Singh (91), and Shashank Singh (33)* firing, Punjab posted an unchaseable total. Ponting praised the team’s batting depth:
“When someone like Azmatullah Omarzai is batting at No. 9, it gives our top order the freedom to attack from ball one.”
The team scored over 70 runs in the powerplay, putting LSG under pressure from the start.
Ponting’s Challenge to Openers: Go Bi
Ponting also shared that he challenged both openers — Prabhsimran Singh and Priyansh Arya — to go for a century in the match.
“I asked both of them to aim for a hundred today. Prabh came close with 91, but the intent was right,” Ponting stated.
He emphasized how well the pair complement each other — Priyansh excels against pace, while Prabhsimran thrives against spin, creating the perfect left-right combination.
PBKS’ Auction Strategy Paying Off
Ponting concluded by saying that the team’s auction decisions — particularly retaining Prabhsimran — are proving to be successful.
“You now see why I was so keen to retain Prabhsimran. He’s a serious talent and wants to win games for PBKS,” he added.
What’s Next for PBKS?
With this win, Punjab Kings have gained momentum in the playoff race. If Iyer’s captaincy and Ponting’s backing continue to sync, PBKS might emerge as one of the dark horses this IPL season.
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