Ahmedabad, March 25 – In a nail-biting start to their IPL 2025 campaign, Punjab Kings secured a thrilling 11-run victory over Gujarat Titans on Tuesday at the Narendra Modi Stadium. Skipper Shreyas Iyer was the star of the match, scoring a blistering 97 off 42 balls*, powering Punjab to a mammoth total.
Shreyas Iyer Steals the Show with Explosive Knock
Opting to bat first, Punjab Kings got off to a decent start with Prabhsimran Singh and Priyansh Arya adding 28 runs for the opening wicket. Prabhsimran fell early to Kagiso Rabada for 5, but debutant Priyansh Arya and Shreyas Iyer built a solid partnership of 51 runs. Arya impressed with a quickfire 47 off 23 balls before falling to Rashid Khan.
Skipper Iyer then unleashed an onslaught, smashing 5 fours and 9 sixes in his unbeaten 97. Useful cameos from Shashank Singh (44), Marcus Stoinis (20), and Azmatullah Omarzai (16) helped Punjab post a towering 243/6 in 20 overs.
Gujarat Titans Fall Short Despite Strong Start
In reply, Gujarat Titans came out firing. Skipper Shubman Gill struck 33 off just 14 balls, but his dismissal by Glenn Maxwell at the end of the powerplay turned the tide. Sai Sudharsan (74 off 41) and Jos Buttler (54 off 33) steadied the chase with a promising partnership.
However, Punjab struck back with Arshdeep Singh removing Sudharsan and Marco Jansen accounting for Buttler. Late fireworks from Sherfane Rutherford (39) and Rahul Tewatia (28) brought Gujarat close, but they ultimately finished at 232/6, falling 11 runs short.
Bowling Highlights
Arshdeep Singh led the Punjab bowling attack with 2 key wickets.
Glenn Maxwell and Marco Jansen chipped in with 1 wicket each.
For Gujarat, Sai Kishore stood out with 3 wickets, while Rashid Khan and Rabada took one apiece.
Bhupendra Singh Chundawat is a seasoned technology journalist with over 22 years of experience in the media industry. He specializes in covering the global technology landscape, with a deep focus on manufacturing trends and the geopolitical impact on tech companies. Currently serving as the Editor at Udaipur Kiran, his insights are shaped by decades of hands-on reporting and editorial leadership in the fast-evolving world of technology.
