Punjab Kings vs Gujarat Titans - Commentary

Right then, that is it from this run-fest where Punjab Kings just edged Gujarat Titans. Every team in the IPL now has player at least one match and now it's time for the second round. It will be kicked off with a clash between Rajasthan Royals and Kolkata Knight Riders at the Barsapara Stadium in Guwahati on 26th March, Wednesday. That will begin at 7.30 pm IST (2 pm GMT), but as you know you can join us early for all the build-up to the match. Until then, cheers and goodbye!

Shreyas Iyer, the victorious captain of Punjab Kings, is also the PLAYER OF THE MATCH for his fantastic 97. He says he is ecstatic and that there’s no better feeling than getting the win. He mentions that it was important for him to adapt as quickly as possible and that he had to communicate with Priyansh Arya to time their shots well, especially with the extra bounce on offer. He highlights Shashank’s knock as crucial to their innings. Iyer shares that the ball was stopping a bit in the first innings, but they knew that the dew would settle in and make batting easier in the second innings. He praises Vyshak, saying he has a lot of traits that make him a special bowler and that executing his plans under pressure is not easy. He is impressed with how Vyshak kept his composure and also acknowledges Arshdeep’s important role in the win. Mentions that the saliva on the ball helped it reverse and reveals that Arshdeep came in and suggested using wide yorkers earlier in the innings rather than saving them just for the death.

The skipper of Gujarat Titans, Shubman Gill, says that they got their chances in both batting and bowling, but Punjab Kings scored too many runs up front, and they also let themselves down in the fielding. Adds that chasing a 240 score is always a big task, and they failed to do that today. Mentions that those three overs in the middle when they scored only 18 runs when the requred rate was well above 14 costed them and also the first three overs of Powerplay weren’t good. States that Vyshak Vijaykumar was too good as an impact player with his yorkers. Tells that it was a good wicket to bat on and he liked to bat here.

Presentation Time...

Arshdeep Singh is in for a chat. Shares that the plan was to make them hit to the off-side and make it as tough as possible for them. He mentions that he is really happy for Vyshak, who bowled well. Arshdeep says that the ball does tend to slip a bit with the dew, so the idea was to bowl as wide as possible and keep the deliveries out of their hitting arc. He says that these days, there’s no such thing as a par score, and you just score as much as you can and then back yourself to defend it.

Punjab Kings will be relieved to have crossed the finish line, though it was a lot closer than they would have liked. Glenn Maxwell provided the early breakthrough, but they found it tough to contain GT in the middle overs. The momentum shifted when Vyshak Vijaykumar came in as the Impact Sub, delivering two tight overs that put the pressure back on the opposition. Arshdeep Singh then stepped up in the death overs, sealing the win with a couple of crucial wickets to his name.

Earlier in the match, Punjab Kings put up a towering total, thanks to a sensational 97 from skipper Shreyas Iyer - his highest-ever IPL score. He was well-supported by fiery cameos from young Priyansh Arya at the top and Shashank Singh in the death overs. For Gujarat Titans, Sai Kishore was the standout performer with the ball, claiming three wickets, while the rest of the attack proved to be quite expensive.

Gujarat Titans started off well but suffered an early setback when skipper Shubman Gill fell in the final over of the Powerplay after a blazing cameo. However, Sai Sudharsan took charge, batting brilliantly alongside Jos Buttler to keep the chase on track, never letting the required rate slip out of reach. Sai brought up a fantastic half-century before eventually departing for a well-made 74 off just 41 balls. Impact Player Sherfane Rutherford then joined forces with Buttler, landing some powerful blows to push GT closer. But with the asking rate climbing, Buttler’s dismissal right after his fifty came at the worst possible time. In the end, the lower order couldn’t quite pull off the chase, falling short by just 11 runs.

Punjab Kings clinch a thriller! Another high-scoring spectacle in IPL 2025, delivering pure entertainment and giving fans their money’s worth. The real difference? Punjab’s clutch death bowling, with Vyshak Vijaykumar stealing the show with a game-changing spell that turned the tide in his team’s favor.

Arshad Khan comes out to bat now with two balls to go.

Shahrukh Khan is the new batter for GT.

Arshdeep Singh will bowl the final over. Gujarat Titans need 27 runs off the last over.

Rahul Tewatia is the new batter for the Gujarat Titans. Also, Vyshak Vijaykumar will bowl the penultimate over. Gujarat Titans need 45 runs in the last two overs.