In the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2025 season opener, Punjab Kings (PBKS) won by 11 runs against Gujarat Titans (GT) at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad on Tuesday. The match, which was marked by outstanding batting performances and tense moments, witnessed PBKS posting a strong total of 243 for 5, which GT fought hard to chase but fell short at 232 for 5.
Iyer’s Batting Brilliance Anchors Punjab’s Innings
The star of the match was clearly PBKS Captain Shreyas Iyer, who led by example with an unbeaten 97 off a mere 42 balls. Iyer’s innings were laced with five fours and nine massive sixes, which was a treat to watch. This was his highest IPL score which helped taking Punjab to their second-highest total in IPL history.
Iyer’s own innings were complemented by debutant Priyansh Arya, who scored at a rapid 47 off 23 balls, and Shashank Singh, who chipped in with the finishing touches scoring a quick 44 off 16 deliveries.
The Punjab top order batting proved their intentions from the very start, scoring 73 for 1 in the powerplay.
In spite of GT’s left-arm spinner Sai Kishore’s stunning figures of 3 for 30, including the key wickets of Azmatullah Omarzai, Glenn Maxwell, and Marcus Stoinis, PBKS kept their momentum going throughout the innings. The last over, bowled by Prasidh Krishna, yielded 22 runs, adding further strength to Punjab’s score.
Gujarat’s Chase Fell Short
Confronted by a challenging score of 244, Gujarat Titans made a courageous attempt. Sai Sudharsan led the chase with an excellent 74 off 41 balls, while Jos Buttler added a quick 54 off 33 balls. Sherfane Rutherford’s effort of 46 off 28 balls kept GT in the contention until the last overs.
The game was in the balance until the death overs, with GT scoring 50 runs from their last five overs. However, this was short of PBKS’s 77 runs in the corresponding overs of their innings. The turning point arrived in the 15th and 17th overs bowled by PBKS’s Vijaykumar Vyshak, who gave away only 10 runs in those 12 balls, thereby arresting GT’s momentum.
In spite of the defeat, GT’s batting effort, especially by Sudharsan and Buttler, indicated their potential for the upcoming season. Captain Shubman Gill’s 33 off 14 deliveries at the beginning of the innings had set the tone for what proved to be a near-successful chase.
The Narendra Modi Stadium, which is famous for balanced conditions, saw a run-fest that kept the audience on their toes for most of it.
This victory is a great beginning for Punjab Kings under their new Captain Shreyas Iyer. Iyer’s captaincy and batting skills will be very important for PBKS as they look to enhance their past performances in the IPL.
