At the end of the 19th over, Shreyas Iyer was batting on 97 runs. If Shashank Singh, who was on strike, had simply rotated the strike, Iyer could have reached the magical three-figure mark. But his mind did not agree to such a strategy—he did not want to waste even a single ball. Instead, he went up to his teammate and made it clear what needed to be done. A true captain is selfless; above all else, he prioritizes the team’s interests. Shreyas Iyer turned these words into action—he sacrificed his sure-shot century for the team. Even while standing at an unbeaten 97, he left the field with a big smile, forcing even the harshest critics to bow in respect.
At the end of the 19th over, Iyer was on 97, and had Shashank Singh rotated the strike, he might have reached the milestone. But Iyer’s mind did not accept that idea—he didn’t want to waste a single ball. That’s why he stepped forward, explained to his teammate what needed to be done.
Shashank, who played a thrilling knock of 44 runs off 16 balls, later revealed the story. He said, “Shreyas inspired me a lot. From the very first ball, he told me, ‘Don’t think about my century at all. Just watch the ball and play your shots.'” The captain knew the power of this hard-hitter, and Shashank proved it. In the final over, he smashed five boundaries, scoring 22 runs. An extra run from a wide delivery took Punjab Kings’ total beyond the opposition’s reach—all because of that one explosive over.
Last season, Shreyas Iyer led Kolkata Knight Riders to the championship, yet he was left out of the squad. Punjab Kings bought him for a record price in the auction, which perhaps fueled his hunger to perform. And in the end, he lived up to it—”Captain leading from the front.”
Whether Punjab will finally achieve their long-cherished dream of lifting the trophy remains uncertain. But after a long time, they have found someone they can rely on—a leader who puts his team before himself. His name is Shreyas Iyer.
