Punjab Kings captain Shreyas Iyer has come under heavy scrutiny following his poor shot selection against Josh Hazlewood in Qualifier 1 of IPL 2025. Iyer’s dismissal contributed to PBKS collapsing for just 101 runs, handing Royal Challengers Bengaluru an easy ticket to the final.
Tom Moody: “Put Your Ego in Your Pocket”
Former Australia cricketer Tom Moody slammed Iyer on ESPNCricinfo Timeout, saying,
“That was the perfect example of not reading the situation. Sometimes, you’ve got to put your ego in your pocket and just move forward.”
Moody’s remarks reflected the growing consensus that Iyer should’ve played more responsibly, especially against Hazlewood—a bowler who has dismissed him four times in T20s. Iyer averages only 2.75 against the Aussie pacer.
Gavaskar, Ponting Also React
Iyer’s decision to attempt an aggressive slog on just the third delivery of his innings shocked both commentators and his own team. Sunil Gavaskar criticized the shot on-air, while head coach Ricky Ponting was seen having an animated conversation with Iyer in the dressing room.
The dismissal—caught at mid-wicket after mistiming a big shot—sparked outrage, considering Punjab’s fragile situation at the time. The team eventually lost by eight wickets.
Punjab’s Road Ahead
Despite the loss, Punjab Kings will get another shot at reaching the final. They’ll face the winner of the Eliminator between Gujarat Titans and Mumbai Indians in Qualifier 2 at the Narendra Modi Stadium on June 3.
Shreyas Iyer, who has had an otherwise impressive season with 516 runs at an average of 46.91, will need to bounce back with a cooler head and better match awareness.
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