Former Australia captain Aaron Finch showered praise on Punjab Kings skipper Shreyas Iyer after his sensational century powered PBKS to a crucial victory over Lucknow Super Giants at the Ekana Cricket Stadium in IPL 2026. In a must-win clash that kept Punjab’s playoff hopes alive, Iyer delivered one of the finest innings of the season, finishing unbeaten on 101 off just 51 balls in a commanding seven-wicket win.
Punjab Kings were under immediate pressure after losing Priyansh Arya for a golden duck and Cooper Connolly inside the first three overs while chasing 197. At 22/2, the momentum was firmly with Lucknow. However, Iyer walked in with calmness and authority, rebuilding the innings brilliantly alongside Prabhsimran Singh before taking complete control of the chase.
Aaron Finch was particularly impressed by the simplicity and composure in Iyer’s batting approach. Speaking on JioStar, the former Australian opener said Iyer relied on clean cricket shots rather than extravagant movement across the crease, which made his innings even more effective under pressure. “It was a wonderful innings. He started by playing classic cricket shots. He doesn’t move around the crease a huge amount, he hits the ball where it should go, which is generally the art of batting,” Finch said.
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The former Australia captain also highlighted Iyer’s dominance against spin bowling, an area where the Punjab skipper has consistently excelled throughout his career.
“We know how destructive he is against spin, and he just took it to a new level in this game. The crack off the bat from some of the shots he hit was exceptional,” Aaron Finch added.
For Iyer, the century carried extra significance as it was his maiden IPL hundred and came during one of Punjab’s most important matches of the season. Finch acknowledged the pressure surrounding the game and praised the PBKS captain for stepping up when his side needed him the most. “Very happy for him to get his first IPL hundred. It’s never easy batting in the middle order, but he was a class above the rest,” Finch stated.
The innings not only ended Punjab’s six-match losing streak but also reaffirmed Iyer’s value as a leader capable of thriving in high-pressure situations. Finch believed the knock perfectly reflected the temperament required from captains during crunch moments in a tournament.
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“You could see what it meant to him to get his side into a position to make a run at the playoffs. These are the games where your leaders need to stand up, and that’s exactly what Shreyas did,” Aaron Finch said. Iyer eventually brought up his century in style with a towering six over cow corner, sealing one of Punjab Kings’ most important wins of IPL 2026.
