Punjab Kings captain Shreyas Iyer has set his sights firmly on the IPL title in 2026, after narrowly missing out in 2025, losing to Royal Challengers Bengaluru in the final. The side reached the final for the second time in their history and earned their third-ever playoff appearance in 2025 and seemed the favourite to get the job done, but RCB were a force to reckon with as well.ย
However, Iyer is determined to change the silver to gold this time around and mentioned that thereโs tremendous excitement in the air, but his goals are clear.
“Expectations are high, which is fun. I love the challenge. But the important thing is that whenever we step in, we have to win. My eye is on the trophy,” Iyer stated at the team’s official jersey launch event on March 20, expressing his focus and ambition for the upcoming season.
Iyer reflected on his freak injury last year
The 28-year-old also reflected on the physical hurdles he overcame after a serious injury during India’s tour of Australia last October. Iyer suffered a ruptured spleen that required surgery and kept him sidelined for over two months. During his recovery, he lost seven kilograms but showed remarkable resilience in regaining his fitness.
“It is always challenging to come back after an injury. I had lost around seven kilos and it took a lot of effort to gain that weight back. But I love challenges. I am glad I overcame that part of my life, and I am back here proudly representing the team,” Iyer shared.
Notably, Iyer had a commanding season with the bat last year. He made 604 runs at an average of 50.33 and a strike rate of 175.07. His most memorable knock came in Qualifier 2, where he blasted an unbeaten 87 to guide Punjab Kings past Mumbai Indians. Despite Iyerโs stellar performance, PBKS fell just short of the title, losing to RCB by six runs in the final.
Now, Punjab begin their IPL 2026 campaign with a home match against Gujarat Titans in New Chandigarh on March 31. Next up, they will play Chennai Super Kings on April 3, Kolkata Knight Riders on April 9 and Sunrisers Hyderabad on 11th.ย
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