Punjab Kings (PBKS) began their IPL 2025 campaign with a dashing 11-run win against Gujarat Titans (GT) on Tuesday (March 25), at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad. The match was a real eye-opener with a scintillating exhibition of batting skills and cautious bowling, which offered a very promising beginning for the Kings under new skipper Shreyas Iyer.
Punjab Kings post their highest total in IPL history
Put in to bat first, Punjab Kings posted their highest IPL total of 243/5, with Iyer taking the lead. He played a stunning knock, scoring an unbeaten 97 off just 42 balls, including five fours and nine sixes. His fireworks with the bat were supported by impressive performances by debutant Priyansh Arya, who blasted 47 from 23 balls, and Shashank Singh, who chipped in with a 16-ball 44. This attacking batting effort led to a blistering last five overs in which PBKS scored an incredible 87 runs.
In reponse, Gujarat Titans started their pursuit with purpose. Openers Shubman Gill and Sai Sudharsan established a good partnership, scoring 61 runs during the powerplay. Things took a turn when Glenn Maxwell got rid of Gill for 33 runs. Sudharsan carried on supporting the innings with his beautiful stroke play, making 74 from 41 deliveries before falling to Arshdeep Singh.
Wicketkeeper-batter Jos Buttler also scored well with a consistent 54 runs from 33 deliveries.
In spite of a gallant fight by GT’s middle order, featuring Sherfane Rutherford‘s 46-run aggressive knock off 28 balls, they were short of the target, managing 232/5. The PBKS bowlers showed great composure during the death overs, with Arshdeep and Vishnu Vyshak successfully slowing down GT’s scoring rate.
Also READ: Shreyas Iyer misses his maiden IPL century, Shashank Singh reveals his chat with Punjab Kings’ captain – IPL 2025, GT vs PBKS
Preity Zinta lauds Punjab Kings’ team effort
After the match, Punjab Kings co-owner Preity Zinta shared her joy over the team’s performance on social media. She congratulated Iyer for his captaincy and acknowledged the team effort. “What an incredible start to this tournament! Some 97’s are better than a hundred. Take a bow @shreyasiyer96 for showing class, leadership & aggression! Loved how the team played as a unit!” she captioned her Instagram story. Zinta also made special mention of Arya, Vyshak and Arshdeep for their performances.
This win not only gives Punjab Kings a morale boost but also puts them on a positive note for their IPL 2025 campaign. The team has made drastic changes this season with new captaincy under Iyer and strategic input from head coach Ricky Ponting. Zinta’s excitement is a testament to the expectations of fans who have been waiting for years for their franchise to succeed.
Also READ: IPL 2025 – Netizens erupt as captain Shreyas Iyer powers Punjab Kings to victory over Gujarat Titans in a high-scoring encounter
