Shreyas Iyer's Frustration with Shashank Singh After Punjab Kings' Victory

Tensions Rise After the Match

Following the conclusion of the second qualifier, Punjab Kings' captain Shreyas Iyer was visibly upset with Shashank Singh. Despite his usual calm demeanor and not celebrating his winning runs, Iyer's frustration became apparent when he confronted Shashank, signaling a clear "don't talk to me" attitude. Shashank likely understands the reason behind this tension.

Incident During the Match

During the game, Shashank experienced a disappointing run-out. He attempted to drive a low full toss towards mid-on and aimed to change the strike. However, Mumbai's captain Hardik Pandya swiftly fielded the ball and threw it at the stumps. Shashank's casual approach to reaching the crease led to his dismissal, which, although not affecting Punjab's victory, seemed to irritate Iyer. At the time of Shashank's exit, Punjab still needed 35 runs with 17 overs remaining.

Iyer's Leadership Shines

Had rain interrupted the match, Punjab would have still advanced to the finals. Instead, they secured a 5-wicket victory over the Mumbai Indians, successfully chasing down 204 runs in just 19 overs. Shreyas Iyer was the standout performer, scoring an impressive unbeaten 87 runs off 41 balls, which included 5 fours and 8 sixes, earning him the Player of the Match title. Key contributions also came from Nehal Wadhera with 48 runs off 29 balls and Josh Inglis, who scored 38 off 21. Mumbai's bowling struggled, with Ashwani Kumar being the most effective bowler, taking 2 wickets for 55 runs.

Mumbai's Strong Start

Earlier in the match, Mumbai set a challenging target of 203 runs for Punjab, with notable performances from Tilak Varma and Suryakumar Yadav, both scoring 44 runs. Naman Dhir added a late surge with 37 runs off 18 balls. For Punjab, Azmatullah Omarzai took 2 wickets for 43 runs.

Looking Ahead

Punjab Kings are set to face the Royal Challengers Bengaluru again in the final match scheduled for June 3 in Ahmedabad.