Punjab Kings captain Shreyas Iyer (ANI Photo)
New Delhi: Punjab Kings captain Shreyas Iyer After another painful defeat, struck a defiant and philosophical tone, insisting that belief and attitude remained intact. Punjab Kings’ playoff hopes slipped further after a 23-run loss to Royal Challengers Bengaluru. In DharamsalaReflecting on where the match unfolded, Iyer admitted that the early loss was decisive. “Obviously, they got off to a great start and then started taking on the bowlers right after the powerplay,” he said, acknowledging RCB’s dominance with the bat. He pointed out that the target itself was not out of reach in isolation but implementation at key stages proved costly. “It was a commendable performance to get to 222 and we didn’t take enough wickets in the bowling… I think the match was lost in the power play,” he added.Punjab’s chase did not fully recover after the early wickets left them under pressure. “We were three down and most of our run-scorers were Prabhasmaran and Priyansh. The starts they were giving us in the powerplay, obviously we didn’t get that and I got out early too,” Iyer said, highlighting the absence of a strong foundation.He still acknowledged the resistance shown by the middle order, saying, “Really disappointed, but the performance of Shashank and Stoins and a few others in the middle. I think we were up by about 10 an over, but yeah, fell short. Great bowling from Bhovi and Hazlewood.”Despite Punjab Kings now on six consecutive defeats, Iyer refused to dwell on the results or explain the momentum going forward. “No, definitely. I’m always positive regardless of the outcome. It doesn’t determine what my personality is like and I always approach it with a strong attitude,” he said.His most striking reflection, however, pointed to his broader outlook in the midst of this crisis. “I’m not someone who dwells too much on the past. It’s over, it’s over. Tomorrow I’m going to watch the sunrise and there’s always light at the end of the tunnel,” he added.Even as the numbers continue to pile up against PBKS, Iyer’s words frame a captain still searching for conviction in the midst of a crumbling campaign.
