'Lost Battle Not War': PBKS Captain Shreyas Iyer Confident Of Comeback Despite Crushing Loss To RCB In Qualifier 1

Punjab Kings captain Shreyas Iyer remains confident that his team can bounce back and still make the final despite eight-wicket defeat at the hands of Royal Challengers Bengaluru in Qualifier 1 of IPL 2025 on Thursday, May 29. Looking ahead of the second chance to make the IPL 2025 final Iyer said, "We’ve lost the battle, but not the war,". PBKS will now face the winner of the Eliminator between Gujarat Titans and Mumbai Indians for a spot in the summit clash.

Reflecting on the team’s performance, Iyer admitted the batting effort fell well short of expectations. He said,“We’re professionals. We can’t blame pitch conditions or variable bounce. We have to read the situation better and play accordingly,”.

The PBKS innings saw a flurry of reckless shots, with no batter staying long enough to steady the ship. Iyer himself perished cheaply, attempting an ill-timed slog off Josh Hazlewood.

Despite the top-order failure, the skipper remained adamant that the strategy wasn’t flawed. “The planning was in place. It was just poor execution. We went too hard too early trying to post a big total, and that cost us,” he explained.

PBKS horror show in front of home fans

PBKS, who finished the league stage at the top of the table with 19 points, were expected to put up a strong fight in the playoff clash. Instead, they crumbled under pressure and were dismissed for a paltry 101 inside 15 overs at the Maharaja Yadavindra Singh International Cricket Stadium in Mullanpur.

RCB chased down the target with ease, sparking disappointment among the home crowd. The defeat was a bitter pill for the home fans, who had high hopes after a strong league campaign.

Iyer believes his side can regroup and rise to the occasion. He said,“We’ve got another opportunity, and we’ll give it everything. The fight isn’t over yet,”