After falling just short of the 2025 final, Shashank Singh He is confident that Punjab Kings will go one step further this season and lift the Indian Premier League trophy. Punjab Kings ended a decade-long wait to reach the final last year, losing to Royal Challengers Bengaluru by just six runs in a close title clash. Despite this heartbreak, Shashank is confident that the result will be different this time, with the final scheduled for May 31 at the Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bengaluru. “I know that on May 31, we will play at Chinnaswamy and lift the cup. It’s not just a feeling, I know it, it will happen,” Shashank said. “It’s self-belief and team belief. Everyone is on the same page. Everyone has confidence.” PBKS started an impressive campaign in 2025, topping the league stage with nine wins from 14 matches before defeat. Mumbai Indians Qualifier 2 to make it to the finals. Looking ahead, Shashank stressed the importance of staying grounded rather than dwelling on last season’s success. “We will take it match by match because the ultimate goal is to win the trophy.” “If we keep thinking that we reached the final last year, there will be a lot of pressure on us. So our immediate goal is to prepare for our first match against GT, then against CSK and KKR,” he said during the ‘JioStar Press Room’. He said during the ‘JioStar Press Room’. Under the leadership of Shreyas Iyer And the head coach Ricky Pontingthe franchise has retained 21 players from last season while maintaining a stable core. “Playing the final and winning is the ultimate goal. But we have to focus on every match, correct our mistakes which will be easy. We are very motivated and excited that we are one group. We are better prepared than last year.” Shashank also spoke about accepting his role in the lower middle order, saying it has played a major role in his development. “It’s important to love the role. Earlier I also thought I was a top-order batsman and I was thrown down. But then I fell in love with the role.” “The most important thing to be successful in this role is to have the support (of the team management and the dressing room) because you need the freedom to play high-risk cricket.” Reflecting on his preparation, the 34-year-old revealed that personal milestones will take a back seat this season. “It is more of a mental game than a game of skill during the IPL. Last year was not good for me as I had a lot of injuries and could not play much competitive cricket.” “My main goal is to make an impact on the team. The individual goal will be secondary because I want the team to win and I want a picture with the cup.” “I don’t really like batting at the nets, and I prefer batting in games because my role requires me to use my brain more than my skill set, to stay calm under pressure.” Shashank also acknowledged the extra scrutiny on emerging players like Vibhu Suryavanshi and Priyansh Arya, who both impressed last season. “It will not be difficult but the teams will be better prepared and there will be pressure to perform this year. We all know what IPL is. They will have expectations.” Drawing from his own experience, Shashank stressed the importance of backing up a strong debut season. “For me, like last year, I didn’t want to be a one-year wonder, a lot of times we see that happen. People who do well in one season, the second season becomes really important because every team is planning for us and there’s pressure from the fans, the owner, the franchise, the pressure to perform,” he added.
