Former Indian spinner Ravichandran Ashwin has praised Punjab Kings captain Shreyas Iyer for his exceptional calmness and tactical acumen in high-pressure situations.
Ashwin described Iyer as “unflappable” and highlighted his ability to read match scenarios and guide his batting partners during critical run chases.
In a post on X, Ashwin wrote: “At the moment, Shreyas Iyer looks unflappable. His ability to forecast a chase, guide his partner, staying unruffled amidst pressure and shot selection against a bowler he fancies at the right moment are attributes that not many cricketers can boast of at this point in time.” He added, “We have a plethora of batters who can excite with their shot-making ability but not many like Shreyas. Top Class.”
Punjab Kings achieved a record-breaking run chase on April 11, 2026, defeating Sunrisers Hyderabad by six wickets in a high-scoring IPL encounter at Mullanpur. PBKS successfully chased a target of 220 with seven balls to spare.
Sunrisers Hyderabad posted 219 for 6 after being put into bat, anchored by a remarkable opening partnership between Abhishek Sharma and Travis Head. Sharma scored 74 runs off 28 balls, hitting eight sixes and five fours, while Head made 38 off 23 deliveries. Their 120-run opening stand propelled SRH to 105 without loss inside six overs.
Abhishek Sharma reached his half-century in just 18 balls, making the powerplay one of the most explosive in IPL history. Although both openers were dismissed in quick succession by Shashank Singh, SRH maintained momentum to reach 132 for 2 at the halfway stage and 176 for 3 after 15 overs. However, wickets in the death overs, including those of Ishan Kishan (27) and Heinrich Klaasen (39), limited their total below 230.
For PBKS, Shashank Singh took two wickets for 20 runs and Arshdeep Singh claimed two for 50, while Xavier Bartlett secured one wicket.
In reply, PBKS began their chase aggressively, with openers Priyansh Arya and Prabhsimran Singh attacking the SRH bowling. Arya scored a rapid 57 off 20 balls and Prabhsimran made 51 from 25 balls as PBKS reached 93 without loss in the powerplay and surpassed 100 in 6.3 overs.
Although SRH briefly fought back with Shivang Kumar taking quick wickets, including dismissals of both openers and later Cooper Connolly, Shreyas Iyer's unbeaten 69 off 33 balls anchored the chase. His innings included five fours and five sixes, allowing PBKS to maintain control alongside Nehal Wadhera and finish with 223 for 4 in 18.5 overs.
Shivang Kumar was the standout bowler for SRH with figures of three for 33. However, SRH's bowling attack struggled to contain PBKS's explosive top order in the powerplay and death overs, which ultimately decided the match.
The win marked Punjab Kings’ 10th successful chase of a 200-plus target in IPL history, reinforcing their reputation as a formidable chasing side in the tournament.