New Delhi, May 24: Former Australia captain Aaron Finch has lauded Punjab Kings (PBKS) captain Shreyas Iyer for his impressive century. Iyer scored an unbeaten 101 runs against Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) on Saturday, leading PBKS to a 7-wicket victory.
With this win, Punjab Kings have kept their playoff hopes alive. Iyer faced just 51 balls, hitting 11 fours and 5 sixes to secure the win. This victory also ended a streak of six consecutive losses for PBKS.
Finch praised Iyer’s innings in an interview with ‘GeoStar’, stating, “It was a fantastic innings. He started with classic cricket shots. He doesn’t move around much at the crease; he hits the ball where it needs to go, which is the essence of batting.”
Finch was particularly impressed by how Iyer dominated spin bowling during the chase, saying, “We know how dangerous he is against spin, and he took it to a new level in this match. The sound off the bat on some of his shots was incredible.”
Given the context of Punjab’s campaign, Finch noted the significance of this century, as the franchise needed a win to stay in contention for the playoffs. He remarked, “I’m very happy for his first IPL century. Batting in the middle order is never easy, but he is a class above the rest.”
However, Punjab Kings did not start well in their chase of 197 runs, losing Priyansh Arya for a golden duck and Cooper Connolly at a score of just 22 runs. Despite this, Iyer partnered with Prabhsimran Singh to deliver an outstanding performance, adding 140 runs for the third wicket and turning the match in their favor.
Finch emphasized that Iyer’s innings showcased both his leadership qualities and his ability to perform under pressure. “You can see what it meant for him to bring his team into playoff contention. These are the matches you want to be a part of. These are the moments when your captain needs to stand up, and Shreyas did just that in this game.”
Leave a Comment