‘I spent big bucks on Shreyas Iyer for a reason’: Ricky Ponting after PBKS revive playoff hopes cricket news
Punjab Kings head coach ricky ponting praised the captain a lot Shreyas Iyer The PBKS captain scored a sensational unbeaten century to keep the franchise alive in the race for the IPL 2026 playoffs. Punjab ended their six-match losing streak with an impressive seven-wicket win over Lucknow Super Giants on Saturday, chasing 197 in just 18 overs. Shreyas played a brilliant inning of 101 not out in 51 balls and scored his first IPL century, while Prabhsimran Singh scored 69 runs in 39 balls to form a match-winning partnership of 140 runs for the third wicket. Reflecting on the win, Ponting acknowledged that Punjab have faced a tough road in recent weeks, but credited the team for responding under pressure. “We’ve done it the hard way, let’s put it this way. We’ve done what we needed to do today. Carelessness again in the field, they gave away 20 more runs than they should have got. “Very clinical chase, especially being in trouble early on,” Ponting said after the match. The former Australia captain had special praise for Shreyas, revealing why Punjab invested heavily in him in the auction and lauded both his leadership and temperament. “Captain, he has done this all season. This is his first IPL century tonight. We will celebrate it and then sit back tomorrow and wait for the results,” he said. “That’s why I spent as much money in the auction as I did a few years ago (on Iyer). He’s a talented guy, a very mature player now, a very mature leader. Often he keeps his emotions under control on the field. The respect he gets from his players is second to none.” Ponting also highlighted Shreyas’s influence inside the dressing room and said that the PBKS players fully accept their captain’s leadership. Ponting said, “The moment he stands in front of the group and speaks, no one bats an eye at a single word he says. He’s been a pleasure to work with. I’m really happy with his season last season.” The PBKS coach also backed Shreyas for a bigger role in India’s white-ball setup in the future. “It’s great to see him back in the Indian ODI team. I really think he has a big and bright future in the Indian T20 team as well,” he said. Punjab’s win moves them to fourth place with 15 points from 14 matches, although their playoff hopes still depend on results elsewhere. Rajasthan Royals face Mumbai Indians on Sunday, and PBKS needs a defeat for Rajasthan to stay in the top four. Ponting admitted that Punjab’s dramatic drop in form after a strong performance in the first half of the season had hurt their campaign. “The level of cricket we played in the first half was like nothing I’ve ever seen before. And then we made some crucial mistakes at different times in the last six games,” he said. The Australian great also praised Prabhsimran Singh for continuing his impressive season and credited the young opener’s growing confidence. Ponting said, “Fantastic player. It’s probably only in the last few years that he’s realized how good he is. He and Priyansh have been excellent for us over the last few seasons. It will be great for him to see him play a mature innings in a good run chase tonight.” Punjab’s fate now hinges on Sunday’s results, with Ponting revealing that the team will be keeping a close eye on the remaining playoff-deciding fixtures. He concluded, “We will try to get the boys together and watch it (RR-MI game).”