New Chandigarh, April 11 (IANS) Punjab Kings (PBKS) captain Shreyas Iyer set the tone for ending the 19-year trophy drought after guiding his side to a six-wicket win over Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) in the 17th match of the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2026 at the PCA New International Cricket Stadium on Sunday.

“This is the year we are eyeing the trophy. It’s going to take a lot of effort,” Iyer said after being named Player of the Match for his unbeaten 69.

Chasing a challenging total of 220, PBKS got off to a blazing start with Priyansh Arya and Prabhsimran Singh taking the attack to the SRH bowlers. The duo powered the team to 93/0 in the Power-play, putting the opposition under early pressure.

Iyer, coming in after the fall of wickets, paced his innings well. He took time to settle before accelerating at the right moment to keep the chase on track. “We got a phenomenal start. It was magnificent to watch, it was proper cricketing shots,” he said.

Despite the strong platform, Iyer acknowledged that the conditions were not easy and required composure. “It wasn’t easy. I had to give myself some time, and thankfully it worked out,” he added.

PBKS briefly lost momentum in the middle overs, but Iyer stitched a crucial partnership with Nehal Wadhera before finishing the chase alongside Shashank Singh. The team eventually reached the target with seven balls to spare.

Praising the brilliant bowling of Shashank, who took wickets of Abhishek and Head, Iyer added, “All of us came together, and Shashank approached me. I needed someone who bowls at 120. He lived up to his expectations. Kudos to him and his thought process.”

Earlier, Sunrisers Hyderabad posted 219 on the board after a strong start from Abhishek Sharma and Travis Head. However, PBKS bowlers pulled things back in the latter half to keep the target within reach.

Iyer stressed the importance of maintaining the same approach going forward. “We want to maintain the same rhythm going forward. All of us know that we’ve got the skills. Openers, they don’t need to curb their instincts. It’s easy for us. We’ve been magnificent with our work ethic. I am very ecstatic. You need to be in the present. Ricky also takes a lot of importance in this.”

With this win, PBKS remain unbeaten this season. They now have seven points from four matches, with one game against Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) abandoned due to rain. The 2025 runner-ups will now face the Mumbai Indians on April 16 at the iconic Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai.

–IANS

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