Ricky Ponting showered praise on PBKS captain Shreyas Iyer after a breathtaking unbeaten century powered Punjab Kings to a vital seven-wicket win over Lucknow Super Giants on Saturday, keeping the franchise\u2019s hopes alive in the IPL 2026 playoff hunt. Chasing 197, Punjab reached the target in just 18 overs and snapped a run of six straight defeats, with Iyer and Prabhsimran Singh providing the defining thrust in the chase.<\/p>\n
Iyer struck 101 not out from 51 balls to register his maiden IPL century, steering Punjab through a tense start and then accelerating when it mattered most. Prabhsimran Singh complemented him with a blistering 69 off 39 deliveries, and the two combined for a match-winning 140-run stand for the third wicket\u2014an alliance that effectively decided the contest long before the finish.<\/p>\n
Speaking after the match, Ponting acknowledged that Punjab had faced a painful stretch recently, but he felt the group showed the right mindset in pressure moments. He pointed out that despite the dominant chase, there were still areas to clean up\u2014especially in the field.<\/p>\n
"We\u2019ve done it the hard way, that\u2019s for sure. We managed what we needed to do today. Sloppy in the field again, which meant they got about 20 more runs than they should\u2019ve. Still, it was a pretty clinical chase, especially when we were in trouble early," Ponting said.<\/p>\n
The former Australia captain also explained why Punjab had made a significant investment in Iyer at the auction earlier and singled out his maturity and calm influence on the team. Ponting revealed that the captain\u2019s level of performance and emotional control have been consistent throughout the season.<\/p>\n
"The captain\u2014he\u2019s done that all season. That\u2019s his first IPL century tonight. We\u2019ll celebrate it, and then we\u2019ll see what happens with the results tomorrow," Ponting added.<\/p>\n
"There\u2019s a reason I spent as much money as I did a couple of years ago on him. He\u2019s a cracking guy, very mature player now, and a very mature leader too. More often than not, he keeps his emotions in check on the field. The respect he gets from his players is second to none," he said.<\/p>\n
Ponting further stressed that Iyer\u2019s impact goes beyond tactics, describing the way the dressing room rallies around his words. In his view, the team fully embraces Iyer\u2019s leadership, translating into unity during key phases of matches.<\/p>\n
"The moment he stands in front of the group and speaks, not a single player loses attention\u2014everyone listens to every word. Delighted to work with him, and really happy with how his season has gone," Ponting said.<\/p>\n
Punjab\u2019s coach also backed Iyer for an expanded future in India\u2019s white-ball teams. Ponting pointed to Iyer\u2019s recent return to the national one-day setup and suggested his next step could come in T20 as well.<\/p>\n
"Great to see him back in the Indian one-day team. I genuinely believe there\u2019s a bigger, brighter future for him in the Indian T20 side as well," Ponting said.<\/p>\n
With the win, PBKS climbed to fourth place in the standings, finishing the day on 15 points from 14 matches. However, their qualification chances are still not fully secured and depend on outcomes elsewhere.<\/p>\n
On Sunday, Rajasthan Royals will take on Mumbai Indians, and Punjab require Rajasthan to lose that match in order to remain within the top four. Ponting admitted the sharp decline in results after a strong first half has been the biggest reason the campaign became precarious.<\/p>\n
"The standard of cricket we played in the first half was a level I\u2019ve never seen before. Then we started making crucial errors at different times over the last six games," he said.<\/p>\n
Ponting also highlighted Prabhsimran Singh\u2019s steady progress throughout the tournament, crediting the opener\u2019s growing belief and calm approach in successful run chases. He praised the young batter for turning his promise into consistent match impact.<\/p>\n
"Terrific player. It\u2019s probably only been the last couple of years that he has realised how good he is. Him and Priyansh have been outstanding for us for the last couple of seasons. Seeing him play a mature innings tonight in a good run chase will do him a world of good," Ponting said.<\/p>\n
Since Punjab\u2019s playoff path now hinges on Sunday\u2019s results, Ponting confirmed the squad would closely follow the remaining fixture that could decide their fate. "We\u2019ll try to get the boys together and watch it (the RR\u2013MI game)," he concluded.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
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