Shreyas Iyer’s tactical brilliance helped Punjab Kings clinch a thrilling last-over win against Chennai Super Kings at Chepauk, but the victory didn’t come without a price. The PBKS skipper was slapped with a ₹12 lakh fine for maintaining a slow over-rate during Match 49 of IPL 2025 — his first such offence this season.
The IPL governing council confirmed the penalty in an official statement on Thursday, citing a breach of Article 2.22 of the tournament’s Code of Conduct, which deals with minimum over-rate infractions. Despite the joyous outcome on the field, the PBKS think tank will be a touch disappointed with the logistical lapse, especially as the playoffs approach and leadership discipline becomes vital.
“Shreyas Iyer, Captain, Punjab Kings has been fined after his team maintained a slow over-rate during Match 49 of the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2025 against Chennai Super Kings at the MA Chidambaram Stadium, Chennai,” the statement read. “As this was his team’s first offence of the season under Article 2.22 of the IPL Code of Conduct, Iyer was fined INR 12 Lakh.”
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Still, the post-match mood in the Punjab camp was buoyant. The win lifted them to second on the points table, and Iyer, named Player of the Match for his fluent 72, shared some candid insights into his mindset and recent form during the presentation ceremony.
“I love chasing, no matter the ground. I thrive when there’s scoreboard pressure. It forces me to take charge and build momentum for the others to follow,” Shreyas Iyer said. “I just try to back my instincts, play in the moment, and react to the ball. Big total or small, I keep the same approach — sometimes it clicks, sometimes it doesn’t. But I always believe that if I’m out there long enough, we can chase down anything.”
🚨 𝑩𝑹𝑬𝑨𝑲𝑰𝑵𝑮 🚨
Shreyas Iyer has been fined ₹12 lakh for maintaining a slow over-rate during the IPL 2025 clash against Chennai Super Kings. 🏏#IPL2025 #CSKvPBKS #Sportskeeda #Cricket pic.twitter.com/yFVEnxDGfz
— Sportskeeda (@Sportskeeda) May 1, 2025
The PBKS captain also revealed how much work he’s been putting in behind the scenes, especially when it comes to facing the new ball and coping with express pace.
“I’ve been hitting the nets hard, particularly working with the quicks. The new ball zips through and skids, and it’s helped my confidence a lot,” he noted. “More than anything, I focus on my attitude — I tick those mental boxes and let the game reflect that preparation.”
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Iyer didn’t shy away from admitting how tough the conditions were at Chepauk, especially in the field.
“It wasn’t the batting that was hard, it was the fielding — sprinting from long-on to long-on in that humidity, keeping the over-rate in check, and making split-second decisions… it was intense,” he said. “Ricky [Ponting] came in with a message mid-innings — ‘don’t leave it till the last over.’ Their death bowling unit — Pathirana, Khaleel — has a lot of experience, so we needed to up the tempo early.”
Reflecting on the innings, Shreyas Iyer added, “Once I assessed the wicket, I decided to attack. Playing the first 10 balls gave me clarity. And credit to Prabhsimran and Priyansh — the starts they’ve been giving us are outstanding. They’re not slogging; they’re playing smart, quality cricket. Hopefully, they carry that forward.”
Punjab’s win not only keeps their playoff hopes strong but also highlights the maturity and evolving leadership of Iyer — slow over-rate fine aside, his influence on this squad is clearly growing match by match.
