Punjab Kings captain Shreyas Iyer acknowledged that his team’s bowling let them down after they suffered their maiden loss of IPL 2026, despite posting a hefty score against the Rajasthan Royals. In a match where the pitch played slowly and held a little tackiness, Iyer believed 224 on the board was far from inadequate—but execution with the ball ultimately proved decisive.
What Iyer said after Punjab Kings’ defeat
- Iyer said the batting effort deserved credit, praising the way the PBKS batters built momentum and responded to the conditions.
- He argued that 224 looked like a “brilliant” total on a surface that was difficult to read, calling it an outstanding batting display given the wicket’s slow, sticky nature.
- Turning to the bowling, the captain pointed to shortcomings in execution as the turning point—specifically that Punjab did not manage to deliver the planned variations at the right moments.
- Iyer explained that PBKS had targeted slower deliveries, pace-off options and yorkers, but felt they fell short in putting those plans into practice.
- He highlighted the middle-overs impact from Rajasthan, singling out the partnership work—especially the contributions of Ferreira and Shubham Dubey during the chase.
- According to Iyer, the game shifted late when Donovan Ferreira produced a blistering finish, striking 52 not out off 26 balls, before Shubham Dubey backed it up with 31 not out off 12.
- He noted that PBKS were in a commanding position at one stage, but Rajasthan’s late surge completed the chase with four balls to spare.
- Iyer also reflected on the broader challenge for bowlers in modern T20 cricket, stressing how quickly batters now attack from the first ball they face.
- In that context, he reiterated that success still comes down to execution: with a plan in place, the team must carry it out accurately to win.
- On mindset, Iyer said the most important step is to stick to the routines and processes the team has been following, while acknowledging that the schedule and travel can leave players fatigued.
- He insisted, however, that fatigue cannot be used as an excuse and emphasized that PBKS have a couple of days to reset, review, and return stronger.
- Calling it a learning experience, Iyer said this was the first loss of the season and should provide lessons—while also noting PBKS have previously played matches where they chased or defended totals above 200.
- He stressed that since the result went against them this time, the team should put the match aside and remain positive and optimistic for what comes next.
- Iyer reserved special praise for Harpreet Brar, describing the pitch as challenging for scoring against spinners because it held slightly and offered some turn.
- He singled out Brar’s debut impact, saying the bowler came in with confidence, conceded 25 runs in his four overs, and finished as Punjab’s leading wicket-taker.
- Looking ahead to the next venue, Iyer kept his message straightforward for the match in Dharamsala: “Nothing, just win.”
