Punjab Kings (PBKS) will play their first Indian Premier League (IPL) final since 2014 as captain Shreyas Iyer pointed to some of the concepts their head coach Ricky Ponting has channelled to make them a worthy opponent.
In Qualifier 2 against the Mumbai Indians (MI), Shreyas helped PBKS chase down a 204-run mark in 19 overs with five wickets remaining with an outstanding effort of 87 not out off 41 balls. Ponting has treated every player equally and inspired the team with his comments before and after games, according to the right-handed batter.
“Ricky Ponting is an amazing coach who manages the players precisely. One that that stands out with him is that he treats every player equally. That’s a real big boost to every individual, whether he is a junior or senior moist,” Iyer said in the press interaction ahead of PBKS’ clash against Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) in the IPL 2025 final at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad on Tuesday, June 3.
“I have never seen his emotions going up and down regardless of the result. That’s the sign of a great coach. And the assertive thoughts that he provides with his speeches before and after the game, that gives us immense boost. After the game, we are always excited to listen to him and it’s simply phenomenal to work with him.”
Shreyas Iyer
Interestingly, the Ponting-Shreyas duo also helped the Delhi Capitals reach the IPL final for the first time in 2019. With PBKS, they are now poised to make history. They would be full of confidence after their comprehensive win against five-time champions Mumbai in Qualifier 2.
Shreyas Iyer has led the team from the front. He has been an example of consistency, scoring 603 runs in 16 innings with an average of 54.82 and a strike rate of 175.81. The 30-year-old would like to carry on from his performance against MI in the high point battle.
