Ahmedabad, Mar 25 (UNI) Skipper Shreyas Iyer led from the front with a scintillating 97 not out off just 42 balls as Punjab Kings (PBKS) secured a 11-run victory over Gujarat Titans (GT) in the fifth match of the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2025 at the Narendra Modi Stadium on Tuesday.
Iyer’s masterclass, laced with five boundaries and nine sixes, propelled Punjab to a daunting total of 243 for five in their allotted 20 overs. His aggressive stroke play kept the scoreboard ticking even as wickets fell at the other end, ensuring Punjab capitalised on a strong start.
Opting to bowl first, Gujarat Titans found themselves at the receiving end of Punjab's batting onslaught. Opener Priyansh Arya set the tone with a blistering 47 off 23 balls at a strike rate of 204.35 before falling to Rashid Khan in the seventh over. Earlier, Prabhsimran Singh struggled, scoring just 5 off 8 balls before being dismissed by Kagiso Rabada in the third over.
Punjab raced to 73/1 by the end of the powerplay, setting the stage for a high-scoring contest. Azmatullah Omarzai contributed 16 off 15 balls but perished to Sai Kishore, who struck twice in quick succession, trapping Glenn Maxwell lbw for a golden duck in the same over. Marcus Stoinis (20 off 15) also fell to the left-arm spinner, leaving Punjab at 162/5 in 15.2 overs.
Shashank Singh then took charge in the death overs, smashing an unbeaten 44 off just 16 balls to propel Punjab past the 240-run mark. Extras contributed 14 runs, including six wides and eight leg-byes.
For Gujarat, Sai Kishore was the standout bowler with figures of 3/30 in four overs. Rashid Khan (1/48) and Rabada (1/41) also claimed a wicket each, while Mohammed Siraj (0/54) and Prasidh Krishna (0/41) went wicketless.
Chasing 244, Gujarat Titans mounted a spirited response but fell short despite Jos Buttler’s valiant 54 off 33 balls and Sherfane Rutherford’s aggressive 46 off 28. Skipper Shubman Gill managed 33, but his early dismissal in the powerplay dented Gujarat’s momentum.
Sai Sudharsan (74 off 41) played a crucial knock, keeping hopes alive, bringing up his seventh IPL fifty with a single off Yuzvendra Chahal in the 10th over. He also survived a tough chance when Shreyas Iyer couldn’t hold onto a sharp drive off Glenn Maxwell’s bowling in the 11th over.
Gujarat kept pushing, with Buttler reaching his fifty in the 17th over with a sliced four off Marco Jansen, but his dismissal soon after proved costly. Rutherford fought hard, finding boundaries off Vijaykumar Vyshak in the 18th over, including two well-placed slices past short third man. However, his efforts weren’t enough as Punjab’s bowlers held their nerve.
Earlier, Shubman Gill had given Gujarat a promising start, smashing a flat six over long-on off Marco Jansen in the fifth over. Sai Sudharsan also displayed remarkable technique, executing a stunning pull shot for six off Maxwell in the 11th over.
Gujarat finished at 232/5 in 20 overs, handing Punjab an 11-run victory. Arshdeep Singh was the pick of the bowlers, while Marco Jansen (1/41) and Maxwell (1/26) also chipped in with crucial wickets.
With this win, Punjab Kings opened their IPL 2025 campaign on a high note, while Gujarat Titans will look to bounce back in their next fixture. UNI BDN SSP