Shreyas Iyer eyes title glory (Image: IPL/PBKS)
Punjab Kings (PBKS) captain, Shreyas Iyer, has made it clear that while the ultimate goal is to lift the IPL 2026 trophy, the team is very focused on staying in the present and taking it one match at a time.
Under the leadership of Iyer and head coach Ricky Ponting, PBKS have emerged as one of the standout teams this season. They remain the only unbeaten team to date, having won four of their five matches, with one match canceled due to rain.Speaking on JioStar, Iyer emphasized the importance of mindset and consistency in long-term thinking.“Obviously the mission is to lift the cup. But I always feel that the more you stay in the present, the more you can control what you have in your hands at that moment and you just have to do your best.
“You don’t have to think too much about the future or think about the past,” Iyer said.
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He added that the team focuses on self-development rather than external pressure.“I repeat the same point to my teammates as well, when we are out there, we are playing for ourselves, not against competitors. We just want to get better every day and make sure we put our best foot forward. When everything comes together and builds that synergy, everything falls into place,” he added.
PBKS came close to glory last season but failed to reach the IPL 2025 final, losing to Royal Challengers Bengaluru by six runs at the M. Chinnaswamy Stadium. The narrow defeat only strengthened their resolve this year.In their last match, Punjab Kings produced an all-round dominant performance against Mumbai Indians. Batting first, MI posted a competitive 195/6, aided by Quinton de Kock’s unbeaten 112 off 60 balls and a 122-run partnership with Nauman Dhir, who scored a quick 50.However, the PBKS bowlers, led by Arshdeep Singh, kept things under control. The left-arm pacer delivered a match-winning spell of 3/22 in his four overs, earning the man-of-the-match award.In reply, PBKS comfortably chased down the target in just 16.3 overs, finishing at 198/3. Prabhsimran Singh shone with an unbeaten 80 off 39 balls, while Iyer anchored the innings with a fluent 66 off 35 deliveries. The pair put together a crucial partnership after early setbacks, ensuring there were no late hiccups.Despite Allah Ghazanfar taking two wickets for MI, the bowling unit struggled to contain PBKS’ aggressive batting line-up.