A scintillating unbeaten 97 from skipper Shreyas Iyer, a late flourish from Shashank Singh, and exceptional death bowling by impact substitute Vijaykumar Vyshak propelled a revamped Punjab Kings to a thrilling 11-run victory over Gujarat Titans in their opening game of IPL 2025. Chasing a daunting 244, Gujarat Titans remained competitive for most of the innings but ultimately fell short at the finish line.
Where Was the Game Won?
Punjab Kings sealed the win in the final overs. A powerful 87-run onslaught in the last five overs, including 77 off the last four, put them in a commanding position. However, Gujarat Titans, needing 70 off the final five, were stifled by Vyshak and Marco Jansen’s precise bowling, ensuring PBKS’ victory.
Punjab Kings' Innings
PowerPlay: Priyansh Arya Announces Himself
Phase Score: 73/1 (Run Rate: 12.16, Boundaries: 9 Fours, 3 Sixes)
Highlights: Priyansh Arya, making an early impact in his IPL career, displayed fearless strokeplay, smashing boundaries off Mohammed Siraj and Kagiso Rabada.
Key Moment: Arya’s explosive 42-run knock set the tone, and despite Prabhsimran Singh’s early dismissal, Shreyas Iyer counter-attacked immediately, ensuring a flying start.
Middle Overs: Sai Kishore’s Brilliance, Shreyas’ Onslaught
Phase Score: 83/3 (RR: 9.22, 4s/6s: 5/7)
Highlights: Rashid Khan removed Arya just before his fifty, while Sai Kishore’s superb spell dismissed Azmatullah Omarzai and Glenn Maxwell in quick succession.
Key Moment: Shreyas Iyer’s aggressive hitting, including multiple sixes off both Sai Kishore and Rashid, kept PBKS on track despite the mini-collapse.
Death Overs: The Shashank Singh Show
Phase Score: 87/1 (RR: 17.6, 4s/6s: 8/6)
Highlights: While Shreyas looked poised for a century, Shashank Singh stole the show with a late blitz.
Key Moment: Shashank’s fearless hitting in the final over against Siraj propelled PBKS to a massive 243/5, leaving GT with a mountain to climb.
Gujarat Titans' Chase
PowerPlay: Titans Recover from a Slow Start
Phase Score: 61/1 (RR: 10.16, 4s/6s: 3/5)
Highlights: Sai Sudharsan played a few elegant strokes, but GT struggled early, managing only 17 runs from the first three overs.
Key Moment: Shubman Gill accelerated with four sixes, but his departure to Maxwell’s spin dented GT’s momentum.
Middle Overs: Titans Keep the Chase Alive
Phase Score: 113/1 (RR: 12.55, 4s/6s: 8/8)
Highlights: Sudharsan and Jos Buttler unleashed a counterattack, hammering Chahal and Maxwell to bring GT back into the contest.
Key Moment: Arshdeep Singh’s timely breakthrough, dismissing Sudharsan, prevented GT from completely taking control.
Death Overs: Vyshak’s Heroics Seal the Game
Phase Score: 58/3 (RR: 11.6, 4s/6s: 4/3)
Highlights: Introduced as an impact substitute, Vyshak delivered crucial overs, nailing wide yorkers to stall GT’s chase.
Key Moment: Marco Jansen’s brilliant 18th over, removing Buttler and conceding just 12 runs, swung the game decisively in PBKS’ favor. Arshdeep Singh then cleaned up Sherfane Rutherford to end GT’s hopes.
Match Summary
Punjab Kings 243/5 in 20 overs (Shreyas Iyer 97, Priyansh Arya 47, Shashank Singh 44; Sai Kishore 3/30)
Gujarat Titans 232/5 in 20 overs (Sai Sudharsan 74, Jos Buttler 54; Arshdeep Singh 2/36)
Result: Punjab Kings won by 11 runs.
What’s Next?
Gujarat Titans will aim to bounce back quickly as they face Mumbai Indians on Saturday, with both teams searching for their first win of the season. Meanwhile, Punjab Kings enjoy a well-earned break before their next match against Lucknow Super Giants on April 1, with LSG having another game before that clash.
