NEW DELHI: The celebration, the roar and the smile from Shreyas Iyer said it all after the Punjab Kings skipper produced a captain’s knock to guide Punjab Kings to a much-needed win in their must-win IPL 2026 clash against Lucknow Super Giants at the Ekana Cricket Stadium in Lucknow on Saturday.Punjab Kings defeated Lucknow Super Giants by seven wickets, courtesy of a magnificent century from Iyer.The victory helped PBKS move to 15 points from their 14 league matches and reclaim the fourth spot on the points table.However, Punjab’s playoff fate is still not entirely in their hands.They will now closely watch Sunday’s clash between Rajasthan Royals and Mumbai Indians at the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai.“We support MI tomorrow,” Iyer said after the match.Rajasthan Royals currently have 14 points. If RR defeat Mumbai Indians, they will move to 16 points and seal the final playoff berth, knocking Punjab Kings out of the tournament.Iyer admitted he was feeling “ecstatic” after achieving a double milestone against LSG — scoring his maiden IPL century and keeping Punjab alive in the playoff race.“Ecstatic, first hundred of the season, we won eventually after six consecutive losses. I know if I give myself time in the middle and time the ball, rather than getting on top of the ball…I know I need to stay out there for as long as possible,” said Player of the Match Iyer during the post-match presentation.“It’s a surreal feeling, finishing a game and scoring a century. I was in a great mind space, felt super from within,” he added.Iyer also praised Prabhsimran Singh, who scored 69, for his contribution in their match-winning 140-run partnership for the third wicket.“Prabh was temperamentally active and the communication we had was great. That partnership was crucial, created momentum in the game…seriously elated,” he said, while also lauding the bowlers for restricting LSG to a below-200 total.The PBKS skipper revealed that the team deliberately kept things relaxed ahead of the high-pressure encounter.“We just kept it simple, rather than having meetings and putting pressure on the boys. Free flow of mind is required in crucial games. We don’t want to make them overthink, and I told Ricky that we don’t need to do a team meeting,” he said.
