Punjab Kings (PBKS) captain Shreyas Iyer fell just short of a century in the thrilling IPL 2025 match against Gujarat Titans (GT). The missed milestone wasn’t due to a lack of effort from Iyer but rather a stunning late-game cameo by Shashank Singh, whose explosive hitting lit up the Narendra Modi Stadium.
Shashank Singh smashed 44 off just 16 deliveries, including six boundaries and two massive sixes, taking 22 runs off the final over bowled by Mohammed Siraj. His fireworks propelled PBKS to a formidable total of 243 runs. After winning the toss and opting to field, GT faced an early breakthrough as PBKS lost Prabhsimran Singh cheaply.
However, debutant Priyansh Arya steadied the innings with a quickfire 47 off 23 balls, building a solid foundation alongside Iyer. The PBKS captain showcased his class, hammering nine sixes and five boundaries. His fluent strokeplay kept the scoreboard ticking, but it was Shashank Singh’s late assault that truly set the tone.
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On the bowling front, GT’s R. Sai Kishore stood out, picking up three wickets for 30 runs in his four overs. His double blow in quick succession—dismissing Azmatullah Omarzai and Glenn Maxwell—momentarily halted PBKS’s momentum before Shashank’s counter-attack.
I don’t understand the logic of keeping Shashank Singh in lower down the order in the batting when last year he played in the top 4 he made a significant contribution in winning several matches for PBKS #GTvsPBKS pic.twitter.com/mpuU9MrXdu
— Aditya Soni (@imAdsoni) March 25, 2025
Reflecting on his impactful knock, Shashank credited Iyer’s unselfish approach and guidance. “To be honest, Shreyas motivated me a lot. He kept telling me not to worry about his hundred and just watch the ball. That mindset helped me focus on getting boundaries,” Singh shared in the post-innings interview.
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Marcus Stoinis showed glimpses of his power but failed to capitalize, falling for a modest score. Despite that, PBKS’s batting depth ensured they posted a daunting total. As the game moves into the second innings, GT faces a steep chase, needing a special effort to topple PBKS’s imposing score. The first innings certainly belonged to Iyer and Shashank, whose partnership and individual brilliance have set the stage for an exciting finish.
