Shreyas Iyer provides injury update after PBKS vs GT clash in IPL 2026 in Mullanpur
Punjab Kings captain Shreyas Iyer remained cautious after suffering a hand injury during the first match of IPL 2026 against Gujarat Titans in Mullanpur, even as his team won by three wickets. During the chase, Iyer was hit on the wrist by the ball at the non-striker’s end, causing concern in the dugout as the physio came out to attend to him. Despite obvious discomfort, he continued for a while before being dismissed, while PBKS held on to their courage to complete the tense chase.
Iyer later offered an update on the injury and chose not to make any definitive claims about his condition. He said, “I would say it’s good. It’s the same as it was before. Don’t want to waste it, hopefully everything will work out.” The cautious tone reflects recent setbacks, with the PBKS captain returning to action after a long-term injury layoff that disrupted his rhythm and match fitness.
PBKS vs GT, IPL 2026: Update | Achievement:
Connolly steps up
Punjab’s victory was helped by debutant Cooper Connolly, who scored 72 runs off 44 balls under pressure. Walking through difficult times, The young Australian combined clean hitting with composure to chase down the target. His ability to choose the initial length and attack quality bowlers was excellent, particularly a backfoot six off Rashid Khan that earned praise from his captain.
“Some of the shots he played were unreal to watch. That backfoot six, hit so cleanly off Rashid Khan, was amazing,” Iyer said. He also credited Connolly’s awareness in chasing the target despite the fall of wickets at the other end.
“I was concentrating on icing the inside of my hand. Then suddenly, we lost two wickets one after the other. These things keep happening in the IPL. You have to stay calm and balanced. Cooper was there, he was well set,” Iyer said.
Earlier, PBKS bowlers had set the stage. Yuzvendra Chahal (2/28) controlled the middle overs effectively, while Vijaykumar Vaish impressed with 3/34. Iyer praised Vishak’s temperament and described him as “a big-match player” who is capable of performing well in crucial moments.
injury concerns will remain
Iyer revealed that Punjab adapted quickly to the conditions after recognizing the nature of the surface. “After the third over, we realized that the wicket was playing slowly. We decided to bowl slower balls into the wicket and bowl the ball early,” he said.
He also noted Gujarat Titans’ aggressive field placements at the start of their innings. “I just told Shubman that this is something I haven’t seen before. But it’s good to see captains being aggressive,” he said.
Punjab Kings now face a quick turnaround, with their next match scheduled to be against Chennai Super Kings on Friday, April 3 at the MA Chidambaram Stadium in Chennai. Iyer’s fitness will be closely monitored, especially considering his fitness recent return from spleen injury Last year he was sidelined for almost two months.
Having found some form recently, PBKS will hope that their captain’s latest injury concerns remain minor as they look to find some form early in the tournament.
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