The IPL 2025 season is off to a flying start and the Punjab Kings made sure to leave a mark in their opening game. In a high-scoring thriller at the Narendra Modi Stadium, PBKS edged past Gujarat Titans by 11 runs thanks to a sensational unbeaten 97 from captain Shreyas Iyer and some clutch bowling at the death.

gt-vs-pbks

Batting first Punjab Kings got off to a steady start with young Priyansh Arya setting the tone. But the real show began when Shreyas Iyer took the crease. He was in beast mode hammering 97 runs off just 42 balls including 5 fours and 9 sixes. He fell just three runs short of a century but his knock ensured PBKS reached a massive total of 243/5 in 20 overs.

Shashank Singh also played a crucial role smashing 44* off the last few overs including a breathtaking 23 runs in the final over.

Chasing a massive 244 Gujarat Titans had a shaky start but found momentum with Sai Sudharsan (74 off 41) and Jos Buttler (54 off 33). The duo put up a solid 145-run stand making PBKS sweat.

GT looked on track at 145/1 in the 13th over but the game flipped when Arshdeep Singh dismissed Sudharsan. From there, wickets kept falling, and despite a late fightback from Sherfane Rutherford (46) GT fell short finishing at 232/5.

Match Summary

Punjab Kings: 243/5 in 20 overs (Shreyas Iyer 97, Priyansh Arya 47, Shashank Singh 44*; R Sai Kishore 3/30)

Gujarat Titans: 232/5 in 20 overs (Sai Sudharsan 74, Jos Buttler 54, Shubman Gill 33, Sherfane Rutherford 46; Arshdeep Singh 2/36)

Post-Match Reactions

Shreyas Iyer (PoTM & PBKS Captain)

"Getting 97 not out in the first match and that too in the opening game of the season for us is the icing on the cake. I got a four the first ball I faced, and it got me going. That flick six off Rabada as well.

Shashank played a crucial knock, scoring 44 off 16-17 balls. We had to set a benchmark and go for it. With the dew coming in, things could change, and thankfully, we executed well.

Vyshak bowled the yorkers straight away and kept his composure. Arshdeep also played a big role, suggesting we start the wide yorkers earlier. Before the season started, we left no stone unturned, and we’ll carry this momentum forward."

Arshdeep Singh (PBKS Bowler)

"The plan was simple—make them hit to the off-side. It’s not easy to hit there. If they play a good shot, just clap and move on.

Really happy for Vyshak, he worked hard and nailed his yorkers. If you’re going to miss, miss wide, not on the stumps. Even if it’s a full toss, it’ll still be hard to hit.

Credit to our batters for going hard from ball one. There’s no such thing as a par score these days—240, 250, 260—just score as much as you can and defend it."

Shubman Gill (GT Captain, Losing Side)

"We had our chances while bowling and batting, but we gave away too many runs. We also let ourselves down in the field. Those three middle overs where we scored just 18 runs, plus a slow start, cost us.

That said, there are a lot of positives. It’s just the start of the tournament. Vyshak did well under pressure, bowling yorkers after sitting on the bench for 15 overs. It’s always a good batting wicket here, but you need to restrict the opposition too."