Punjab Kings captain Shreyas Iyer displayed excellent form by scoring a rapid 85 runs off just 41 balls in a practice match. This intra-squad game was held at the New PCA Stadium in New Chandigarh as part of the team’s preparation for the upcoming Indian Premier League (IPL) season.
In the practice match held on Wednesday, Shreyas Iyer’s Team B reached a total of 205 runs in their 20 overs. Iyer’s powerful hitting, which resulted in 85 runs, was the highlight of the innings. For Team A, Shashank Singh managed to take 2 wickets for 38 runs.
During Team A’s chase, openers Priyansh Arya and Prabhsimran Singh provided a strong start, scoring 72 runs in 31 balls and 66 runs in 42 balls, respectively. Vishnu Vinod also contributed with a quickfire 26 not out from 10 balls.
Ultimately, Team A scored 198 runs, falling short of the target by 7 runs. Fast bowler Arshdeep Singh impressed with his bowling, taking 2 wickets for 22 runs in 4 overs, according to Punjab Kings.
Punjab Kings will begin their quest for their first IPL title against Gujarat Titans at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad on March 25. Following this, the team will play two home matches against Rajasthan Royals and Chennai Super Kings at their home ground, the New PCA Stadium in New Chandigarh.
Ahead of the 18th IPL season, Punjab Kings held a press conference on Tuesday, March 18, to launch their season. Head Coach Ricky Ponting, Captain Shreyas Iyer, and CEO Satish Menon attended the press conference and discussed the team’s strategies and goals for the approaching season.
Coach Ponting praised Shreyas, expressing his delight in having him as captain and his anticipation for working with him. Ponting highlighted Shreyas’s positive qualities, his IPL-winning captaincy experience, and his growing influence on the team since joining the camp recently.
Ponting further added that the team has a good blend of young talent and experienced players, with a strong contingent of both Indian and international players. He expressed satisfaction with the team composition and their positive first training session.
Shreyas Iyer also shared his enthusiasm about collaborating with Ponting again, emphasizing Ponting’s supportive nature and the confidence he instills in players. Iyer mentioned that Ponting’s presence adds significant value to the team.
Regarding the team’s objective for the season, Iyer stated that their aim is to win the IPL trophy. He emphasized that they are taking a step-by-step approach, focusing on their current practice and team synergy, which he believes is progressing well.
Team Squad:
Batters: Shreyas Iyer, Shashank Singh, Nehal Wadhera, Harnoor Singh Pannu, Priyansh Arya, Pyla Avinash
Wicketkeepers: Josh Inglis, Vishnu Vinod, Prabhsimran Singh
Allrounders: Glenn Maxwell (spin), Marcus Stoinis (pace), Marco Jansen (pace), Harpreet Brar (spin), Azmatullah Omarzai (pace), Aaron Hardie (pace), Musheer Khan (spin), Suryansh Shedge (pace)
Spinners: Yuzvendra Chahal, Pravin Dubey
Fast bowlers: Arshdeep Singh, Lockie Ferguson, Yash Thakur, Vijaykumar Vyshak, Kuldeep Sen, Xavier Bartlett.
