Punjab Kings captain Shreyas Iyer has opened up about the thought process behind their sensational 16-run win over Kolkata Knight Riders, a match that will go down as one of the biggest turnarounds in IPL history. On a Mullanpur surface known for favoring pace, Iyer noticed something different—subtle turn—and seized the moment by turning to his ace spinner, Yuzvendra Chahal.
“It is hard to express in words. I was just backing my instincts. I saw the ball turn a bit, asked Yuzi to control his breathing a bit. We needed to be attacking, and the right players were in the right places,” Iyer said during the post-match presentation.
Chahal’s four-wicket haul was the linchpin in Punjab’s improbable defense of just 111 runs—now the lowest total ever defended in IPL history, surpassing the 116 defended by Chennai Super Kings against Kings XI Punjab in 2009. Iyer’s decision to maintain an aggressive field and stay on the offensive paid off as the wickets kept tumbling.
“When we saw Yuzi came in and turned the ball, our hopes and expectations were higher, and I wanted the field to be attacking and right in front of their face so that they make mistakes and the tide turned towards us,” Iyer added.
The game began to tip in Punjab’s favor when Glenn Maxwell trapped Venkatesh Shreyas Iyer leg before wicket in the 11th over, a decision upheld by the third umpire after a close review. That breakthrough cracked open the contest.
Yuzvendra Chahal then stepped in with a spell that dismantled KKR’s middle order. He first outwitted the dangerous Rinku Singh with a delivery that snuck between bat and pad, allowing Josh Inglis to complete the stumping. He followed it up immediately by dismissing Ramandeep Singh for a golden duck, sending KKR into freefall at 76 for 7 in the 12th over.
Despite the elation of their dramatic win over the defending champions, Iyer urged his team to stay grounded and focused as the tournament heats up. With four wins in six matches, Punjab Kings now sit fourth on the IPL 2025 points table with a net run rate of 0.17.
Their next challenge awaits on April 18, when they face Royal Challengers Bengaluru on the latter’s home turf—an opportunity to extend their winning momentum and further solidify their position in the playoff race.
