IPL 2025: Shreyas Iyer’s Leadership Propels Punjab Kings to Playoffs

Punjab Kings (PBKS) beat Rajasthan Royals (RR) in the 18th season of IPL by 10 runs on Sunday, May 18. On the same day, Gujarat Titans (GT) beat Delhi Capitals (DC) by 10 wickets. These results secured PBKS’ first playoff berth for the first time in 11 years. The last time the franchise reached the deciding matches of the season was in 2014.

A Unique Captain, Shreyas Iyer 

PBKS’ Shreyas Iyer became the first captain to lead three franchises to the IPL playoffs. First, he led DC to the final in 2020. In 2024, the cricketer captained Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) to their third league title.

In 2025, Iyer moved to PBKS for a record-breaking Rs 26.75 crore. It made him the second-most-expensive player in IPL history. This move was initiated by the Kings’ head coach Ricky Ponting. He had previously worked with Iyer at Capitals. At Punjab, Iyer has led the team as a batter and skipper.

This season, Iyer has amassed 435 runs at a strike rate of 174.69, the highest for Punjab so far. His performances have been crucial in helping PBKS overcome challenging situations against strong teams like GT and KKR. In the clash against RR, the squad posted an impressive total of 219.

Next Matches 

The victory allowed PBKS to gain 17 points in 12 games. The team has grabbed a playoff spot and can even move up in the table with 2 games left. They will be played on May 24 against Delhi Capitals (DC) and May 26 against Mumbai Indians (MI).