Shreyas Iyer Reflects on Early Days and PBKS's Historic IPL Victory

A Memorable Encounter with Irfan Pathan

Shreyas Iyer, the captain of Punjab Kings (PBKS), reminisced about his first significant interaction with former Indian all-rounder Irfan Pathan during the inaugural Indian Premier League (IPL) season in 2008. In a conversation on JioStar, Iyer shared that he was a ball boy at that time and vividly recalls the moment when Pathan approached him and another young ball boy after completing an over.

A 'Special Feeling' from the Past

"I remember the first time I saw you. I was a ball boy in the first IPL season when you were playing for Punjab. You had just finished bowling an over. I was sitting at the boundary line with another ball boy," Iyer recounted.

He further elaborated on the encounter, stating, "You walked over and asked us how we were feeling. We said it felt great. At that moment, it felt amazing that an IPL player and an India cricketer had come and spoken to us."

Iyer described this interaction as a pivotal and emotional moment from his early days as a cricket fan, saying, "It was a very special feeling."

Insights on Growth and Resilience

Iyer reflected on his development as a cricketer, emphasizing how personal growth and overcoming challenges have influenced his self-confidence and mental toughness. He discussed the importance of handling pressure and recovering from difficult times, noting that maturity is often gained from experiences outside of cricket.

"Maturity as a cricketer comes from learning outside the field—facing rejections and losing games. As a kid, during my matches and selection trials, I faced many difficult moments. Ups and downs are part of everyone's life," he explained.

The PBKS captain stressed the significance of mental fortitude and positive self-talk in navigating challenges. "The quicker you recover from tough times and turn them into positives, the better. Self-talk is crucial. People will always try to bring you down, but how you lift yourself up is what truly matters," he added.

Maintaining Balance and Acceptance

Iyer also mentioned that he intentionally takes breaks from cricket to maintain balance and clarity. "Sometimes I read books that uplift me. I try to divert my mind from cricket. I go on vacations and spend time alone. Letting go is essential," he stated.

He highlighted the importance of accepting failures, advising players not to dwell on missed goals. "You set a goal and strive to achieve it. But you also need to remind yourself that if it doesn't happen, it's okay. Accept it and move on. Otherwise, you keep ruminating on what went wrong and fall further behind," he noted.

Sharing a significant realization from his journey, Iyer said that acceptance has kept him grounded. "I reached a point where I understood that even if I don't achieve a specific goal, it's fine. You move on and aim for something else," he concluded.

PBKS's Success in IPL 2026

In the current IPL 2026 season, the Shreyas Iyer-led PBKS has achieved their sixth consecutive victory. They accomplished the highest successful run chase in T20 cricket history by defeating Delhi Capitals (DC) at the Arun Jaitley Stadium in New Delhi. Punjab successfully chased down a record target of 265 runs with seven balls to spare on Saturday.

With this victory, PBKS remains unbeaten with six wins and one no result, accumulating 13 points. They also surpassed their previous record of chasing down 262 runs against Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) in the 2024 season.

Punjab's next match is against Rajasthan Royals (RR) on April 28.