Synopsis
Punjab Kings captain Shreyas Iyer encouraged his team to stay humble after their remarkable 16-run victory over Kolkata Knight Riders at the Maharaja Yadavindra Singh International Cricket Stadium. This win marked the lowest total ever defended in IPL history, showcasing the team's resilience and strategy.Key Takeaways
- Shreyas Iyer stresses humility after victory.
- Punjab Kings achieved a historic 16-run win.
- Lowest total successfully defended in IPL history.
- Yuzvendra Chahal's career-best figures of 4-28.
- Team's focus on maintaining positivity moving forward.
New Chandigarh, April 16 (NationPress) Punjab Kings captain Shreyas Iyer urged his players to remain grounded following their remarkable 16-run victory over Kolkata Knight Riders at the Maharaja Yadavindra Singh International Cricket Stadium on Tuesday.
Choosing to bat first, Punjab struggled with their batting, collapsing to 111 runs in 15.3 overs. Harshit Rana took three wickets, while Varun Chakaravarthy and Sunil Narine each claimed two.
In response, Yuzvendra Chahal delivered a career-best performance with figures of 4-28, and pacer Marco Jansen secured three wickets, leading to an exhilarating win for the home team. This marked the lowest total ever defended successfully in IPL history.
"It is tough to articulate. I was just following my instincts. I noticed the ball turning slightly and advised Yuzi to maintain his composure. We had to be aggressive, and the right players were positioned correctly. It's hard to find the right words right now, and such victories make it memorable," Iyer expressed during the post-match presentation.
"Personally, when I stepped onto the field, I faced two deliveries—one kept low, and the other struck the bottom of my bat. Players struggled with the sweep shot. The pitch had inconsistent bounce; we achieved a decent total considering our 16-run win. We were aware of this and instructed the bowlers accordingly, and they executed it well.
"Securing two wickets in the first two overs provided us with the momentum we needed. When we saw Yuzi spin the ball, our hopes rose, and I wanted the field to be aggressive and close to induce errors from the batsmen. It's essential to remain humble and not get overly excited about this win. We must focus on the positives from this game and aim to perform well from the first ball in the next match," he added.
With eight points from six matches, Punjab Kings have ascended to the fourth position, while KKR languishes in sixth place with six points from seven games.
