New Chandigarh, April 1 (NationPress) Captain Shreyas Iyer commended newcomer Cooper Connolly for his poised and composed performance after Punjab Kings (PBKS) achieved a thrilling three-wicket victory over Gujarat Titans (GT) during their Indian Premier League (IPL) 2026 opener at the PCA's New International Cricket Stadium in New Chandigarh on Tuesday.

In pursuit of 163 runs, Punjab Kings relied heavily on Connolly's remarkable unbeaten score of 72, successfully reaching their target in 19.1 overs, even after losing wickets intermittently towards the end.

Iyer, who sustained a hand injury during the chase, addressed his fitness status, stating, “I can confirm that my hand feels fine, just as it was before. I don’t want to tempt fate.”

The Punjab captain praised Connolly's batting skills, noting, “Some of the shots he executed were extraordinary to witness, particularly the one against Rashid.”

Iyer acknowledged the pressure during the chase when the team lost quick wickets. “I was concentrating on icing my hand, and suddenly we lost two wickets consecutively; such moments are part of the IPL. Remaining calm is crucial; Cooper maintained his composure,” he remarked.

He also shared insights on how the team gauged the pitch conditions early on. “After the third over, we noticed the wicket was slow. Arshdeep informed us it was gripping a bit. We aimed to age the ball as quickly as possible,” Iyer explained.

The captain also praised Vijaykumar Vyshak for his stellar bowling performance, taking three wickets. “Vyshak is continuing the excellent form he displayed last season. He’s proven to be a big match player,” he remarked.

Iyer also shared a humorous moment from the match, expressing surprise at an unusual field setting. “I was taken aback to see a short leg for me. I mentioned to Shubman that I had never encountered that before; it's refreshing to see captains being aggressive,” he said, referencing Shubman Gill.

Player of the Match Connolly expressed his joy following his standout debut performance. “I was eager to experience playing alongside some world-class athletes, and to deliver such a performance tonight makes me very happy. I took some time with friends and family before this to reset,” he said.

The Australian added that he prefers to adapt his play based on the situation. “I'm more of a tempo player, feeling the rhythm of my hands, not focusing on hitting too many massive sixes... collaborating with Ricky has been fantastic. We didn’t talk much; we were quite relaxed, and it felt great to secure the victory with Xavier. I’m looking forward to the rest of the tournament,” he noted.

Connolly also commented on facing Rashid Khan for the first time. “It was my first encounter with Rashid Khan; it felt great to win,” he added.

Punjab Kings will next square off against five-time champions Chennai Super Kings (CSK) at the M.A. Chidambaram Stadium in Chennai on Friday.