Shreyas Iyer etched his name into the Indian Premier League (IPL) history books on Sunday, May 18th, as he became the first-ever captain to guide three different franchises into the tournament’s Playoffs. The milestone was achieved after he successfully led Punjab Kings (PBKS) to a crucial 10-run victory over Rajasthan Royals (RR) in Match 59 of IPL 2025 at the Sawai Mansingh Stadium in Jaipur.
With the win, Punjab Kings not only sealed their berth in the IPL 2025 knockout stage but also delivered a statement performance under Iyer’s inspirational leadership. The team now sits third on the points table with 17 points from 12 matches, boasting a healthy net run rate of +0.389. Their campaign has included eight wins and just three losses so far this season.
This latest achievement adds another chapter to Iyer’s remarkable captaincy journey. He had earlier led Delhi Capitals to the Final in IPL 2020, where they finished runners-up to Mumbai Indians. In 2024, he guided Kolkata Knight Riders to a dominant title win over Sunrisers Hyderabad. Now, Iyer has completed a rare hat-trick steering Punjab Kings into the IPL Playoffs for the 2025 season.
Punjab Kings’ bold decision to acquire Iyer for a staggering Rs. 26.75 crore making him the second most expensive player in IPL history behind Rishabh Pant has proven to be a masterstroke. His leadership has brought structure, consistency, and belief to a franchise long in search of a breakthrough season.
Iyer has had a brilliant IPL 2025 season having smashed a total of 435 runs at an impressive strike rate of 174.70 and an average of 48.33 and playing a pivotal role in PBKS’ batting line-up.
Punjab hold nerves to beat Royals
Punjab Kings made full use of the batting-friendly conditions, posting a formidable 219/5 in their 20 overs. Nehal Wadhera played a standout knock, smashing 70 runs off just 37 balls, including 5 boundaries and 5 sixes, displaying both finesse and power. He was ably supported by Shashank Singh, who accelerated the innings further with a quickfire 59 off 30 balls, striking 5 fours and 3 sixes. Rajasthan Royals struggled to contain the flow of runs, but Tushar Deshpande emerged as their most effective bowler, finishing with figures of 2/37 in his four overs, providing key breakthroughs at crucial moments.
In response, Rajasthan Royals mounted a spirited chase. Yashasvi Jaiswal gave them a blistering start, hammering 50 off 25 balls with 9 boundaries and a six. Later, Dhruv Jurel anchored the middle overs with a composed 53 off 31 balls, including 3 fours and 4 sixes, giving RR hope deep into the innings. However, Punjab’s bowling unit held firm under pressure. Harpreet Brar turned the match in Punjab’s favor with a brilliant spell of left-arm spin, taking 3/22 in his 4 overs.
