Punjab Kings return to the IPL playoffs after a decade-long wait. At the heart of that turnaround is captain Shreyas Iyer, who has once again proven his leadership by taking another underdog side deep into the tournament.
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The win against the Rajasthan Royals on Sunday, combined with Delhi Capitals' loss, confirmed PBKS as one of the four teams in the 2025 IPL playoffs. This is a major breakthrough for Iyer.
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With Punjab Kings qualifying for the playoffs in 2025, Iyer becomes the first skipper in IPL history to captain three different teams into the last four stages.
He had already led Delhi Capitals and Kolkata Knight Riders to the playoffs, and now he's done it again for the Punjab Kings this year.
Has Shreyas Iyer become the most impactful captain in IPL history?
Former West Indies pacer Ian Bishop summed up the sentiment perfectly during commentary.
“Punjab Kings. A lot has been said about Shreyas Iyer – he’s made teams better wherever he goes,” Bishop said.
Iyer’s record backs it up. He ended Delhi’s long playoff drought in 2019 and led them to the final in 2020. With KKR, he took them to the final last year and ended a decade-long title wait.
Now, with PBKS, he has done it again - this time after an 11-year absence from the playoffs.
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Could the Ponting-Iyer reunion be the reason for PBKS’ turnaround?
A crucial part of Punjab’s revival has been the reunion of Shreyas Iyer and Ricky Ponting. The duo previously worked together at Delhi and have clicked again in Punjab, with Ponting now head coach.
Their experience has clearly had an impact on the squad’s belief and performances. Against Rajasthan, PBKS scored 219 runs - thanks to knocks from Nehal Wadhera and Shashank Singh.
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Harpreet Brar’s 3/22 sealed the win, keeping Punjab well ahead in the chase. With 17 points, they are now in strong contention for a top-two finish.