Shreyas Iyer (Source: @IPL/X.com)
After a dream run in the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2025, it turned out to be a nightmarish final for the Punjab Kings (PBKS) side, led by Shreyas Iyer, as they lost to Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) by just six runs. Following the conclusion of the game, Iyer spoke about what went wrong and his expectations for coming back next year.
Shreyas Iyer Speaks His Heart Out After Heart-Breaking Finale
In the tense finale, the Royal Challengers Bengaluru side posted 190 on the board on the back of Virat Kohli’s 43 off 35 deliveries as they lost nine wickets by the end of their 20 overs. Chasing 191 for the title victory, the Punjab Kings side started decently, but lost their way in the middle, as quick wickets derailed their chase.
Punjab went from 43/0 to 98/4, where they lost their seventh wicket for 145. Despite the best efforts of Shashank Singh, who scored 61* off 30 deliveries, Punjab Kings fell short by six runs, managing only 184. That proved enough for the RCB side as they lifted their first title in 18 years.
Despite the loss, Shreyas Iyer spoke about his emotions and what went wrong during the game. He then congratulated his teammates for standing tall in this situation, as their fearless style of play came in handy during the tough time. Backing the youngsters, he said he is very proud of his side.
"Yes absolutely. Dejected to be honest but the way boys came up to the occasion was commendable. Credit to the entire management, support staff and each and every individual who participated in contributing for the team. Also credit to the owners who always supported us,"
Iyer And Punjab Aim For IPL Title Next Year
However, the most important glaring thing that Shreyas spoke about in the post-match presentation was that the job is still half done, as he aims to come back stronger next year with the title on their mind. Additionally, he further mentioned that with youngsters in their side, they have all the positives in their favour, and hence, next year will be something he is very eager about.
"I am very proud of each and every individual who participated in the team. Lot of youngsters played their first season. The fearless nature they showed was simply amazing. Hats off to the entire management and all the players. The job is still half done as we want to win the trophy next year.
"There are plenty of positives to be honest. Many of the players stepped up for the team whenever required. We had plenty of youngsters and they have gained a lot of experience from this tournament. I am sure next year when they come here and play, they will perform better. We played some decent cricket in this tournament."
Iyer reflects Punjab fans' thoughts, which could very well sum up that Kings were going strong in the game until Krunal Pandya came into the attack and delivered an outstanding, breathtaking spell of 2/17 in his four overs, as he stole the game from the opposition. This title gave RCB their first trophy after facing a drought for 17 straight years.