"Getting 97 not out..." - Shreyas Iyer breaks silence on Shashank Singh denying him a century

Under the leadership of new captain Shreyas Iyer, the Punjab Kings (PBKS) opened their campaign in the Indian Premier League 2025 (IPL 2025) on Tuesday, March 25.

Shreyas Iyer's Punjab Kings (PBKS) won against the Shubman Gill-led Gujarat Titans (GT) in the 5th match of the IPL 2025 by 11 runs at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad.

Also Read: Watch: Marcus Stoinis smashes female security official with brutal six in GT vs PBKS clash

Getting 97 not out in the opening game of the season for us is the icing on the cake - Shreyas Iyer

Punjab Kings were invited to bat first in the match after losing the toss, and they made the most of it by posting a huge total of 243/5 on the board, thanks to sensational batting performances from Iyer, Priyansh Arya, and Shashank Singh.

Defending the score, Punjab Kings looked in trouble at a point in time but the bowlers held their nerves and restricted Gujarat Titans to 232/5.

Speaking during the post-match presentation ceremony, Shreyas Iyer, who also won the Player of the Match award for his unbeaten 97-run knock, said:

"Getting 97 not out 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. 44 runs he (Shashank) scored off 16-17 off balls was pretty crucial for the team.

"We set a benchmark that we had to go for it. With the dew coming it things could change and thankfully he performed."

Iyer's comments were a clear indication that he was not furious at Shashank Singh for denying him a century.

Also Read: Shashank Singh breaks silence on denying Shreyas Iyer a ton in GT vs PBKS IPL 2025 clash

He is a funny character - Shreyas Iyer on Vijaykumar Vyshak

When asked about the game-changing impact player Vijaykumar Vyshak, Shreyas Iyer said that he is a funny character. He stated:

"He is a funny character. He has got traits in him where he comes in with the right attitude. He bowled the yorkers straightaway. Kept his calm and composure."

Shreyas Iyer further revealed Arshdeep Singh's words about the saliva ban being lifted, helping the pacer as the ball was reversing in the death over. He elaborated:

"Arshdeep played an important role in that (the wide yorker plan). He came in and said the ball is actually reversing a bit so the saliva on the ball is helping the bowlers a bit I guess.

"He got Sai and that changed the momentum for us and then he came in and said let's start the wide yorkers earlier than trying it too late. Before the season started we left no stone unturned. In our meetings everyone chipped in with what we can execute on the field and it wasn't just me talking. We look to carry forward the momentum into the other games as well."

How did PBKS perform in the previous IPL match against GT?

The previous IPL match between PBKS and GT was held on April 21, 2024, in Mullanpur. Punjab Kings suffered a three-wicket defeat in that match after a failure with both bat and ball.

Choosing to bat first, PBKS got off to a decent start with Prabhsimran Singh scoring a quickfire 35 runs off 21 balls. However, once Rashid Khan (1/15) and Noor Ahmad (2/20) were introduced, PBKS struggled to maintain momentum.

Sai Kishore (4/33) further deepened their woes, dismissing middle-order batters. PBKS lost wickets at regular intervals and could only post 142 runs on the board, with Harpreet Brar’s late 12-ball 29 blitz playing a crucial role in a decent total.

Defending a low score, PBKS bowlers fought valiantly. Harshal Patel (3/15) and Liam Livingstone (2/19) kept GT under pressure, while Arshdeep Singh and Sam Curran chipped in as well. They took the game into the final over, but Rahul Tewatia finished the job for GT.