Punjab Kings (PBKS) skipper Shreyas Iyer admitted his side failed to execute their plans after suffering a crushing 8-wicket loss to Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) in Qualifier 1 of IPL 2025. However, he urged fans to stay hopeful, saying PBKS still have one more shot at making the final.
‘We Lost the Battle, Not the War’: Shreyas Remains Hopeful
After PBKS were bundled out for just 101 runs in 14.1 overs, Iyer accepted that the team’s batting collapsed under pressure but maintained confidence in a comeback.
“We have lost the battle, but not the war,” he said after the match.
PBKS still have a second chance to qualify for the final. They will face the winner of the Eliminator between Gujarat Titans and Mumbai Indians in Qualifier 2 on June 1 in Ahmedabad.
Poor Batting, Not Poor Planning, Says Shreyas Iyer
Despite criticism over his shot selection and strategy, Iyer stood by his decisions and the team’s preparation.
“I’m not doubting my decisions. Our planning was on point; we just couldn’t execute it,” he said.
“We need to work on our batting, especially on this wicket.”
PBKS’ top-order faltered in their attempt to post a big total, with aggressive shots backfiring early. Even Iyer himself played a rash shot off Josh Hazlewood, drawing criticism from Sunil Gavaskar and a visible reaction from head coach Ricky Ponting.
RCB’s Clinical Performance Sends PBKS to Qualifier 2
Suyash Sharma (3/17) and Josh Hazlewood (3/21) led RCB’s bowling attack as they dismantled PBKS’ batting lineup.
RCB chased down the target with ease in just 10 overs, led by a commanding 56 off 27 balls* from Phil Salt.
The result secured RCB a spot in the IPL 2025 final, scheduled for June 3 at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad.
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