Shreyas Iyer has been an exceptional captain for Punjab Kings in IPL 2025: Robin Uthappa

Punjab Kings (PBKS) assured themselves a top-two finish in the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2025 after registering a comprehensive seven-wicket win against Mumbai Indians at the Sawai Mansingh Stadium in Jaipur on Monday, May 26.

After Shreyas Iyer won the toss and elected to field first, Suryakumar Yadav's 39-ball 57 played a key role in helping the five-time champions finish on a decent score of 184/7. Arshdeep Singh was the pick of the bowlers for PBKS, finishing with figures of 2/28. The tall and lanky pacer, who is also the highest wicket-taker for his side this season, bowled a brilliant 20th over, conceding just three runs and picking up the wickets of Naman Dhir and Suryakumar.

In reply, Prabhsimran was dismissed early, but Priyansh Arya (62 off 35) and Josh Inglis (73 off 42) scored exhilarating half-centuries to make the run-chase look like a cakewalk. In the end, Shreyas hit Trent Boult for a six over wide long-on to finish the game with nine balls to spare.

Former Indian cricketer Robin Uthappa said that PBKS are playing like champions, with domestic players shouldering a heavy workload while overseas stars step up when they are needed the most. The cricketer-turned-commentator also praised Inglis, who hit nine fours and three sixes in his innings, for his sensational performance with the bat.

“That’s exactly what championship-winning teams do. The Indian players shoulder the heavy workload, and the overseas players deliver when it matters most. You can see the momentum within the team — the unity, the energy, and the sheer joy with which they’re playing. Josh Inglis gave the bowlers a proper masterclass out there," Uthappa said on JioHotstar.

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Shreyas has always been an exceptional captain: Uthappa

The former India wicketkeeper-batter extolled Shreyas for his leadership skills and mentioned how he feels that the Mumbai-born was not appreciated as much as he should have been during his stint with the Kolkata Knight Riders in 2024, where he also led them to the title.
 
“Shreyas has always been an exceptional captain. You always sensed that he felt underappreciated at KKR despite adding value there. He moved to a franchise where not much had been achieved historically — and then went on to win it for them. That says a lot about his leadership and belief," Uthappa explained.

PBKS will face either Gujarat Titans or Royal Challengers Bengaluru in Qualifier 1 at the Maharaja Yadavindra Singh International Cricket Stadium in Mullanpur on Thursday, May 29.