New Delhi, April 4: Shreyas Iyer, captain of Punjab Kings (PBKS), led his team to victory against Chennai Super Kings (CSK) in the seventh match of the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2026 with a remarkable half-century. Former Indian cricketer Saba Karim has lauded Iyer for his outstanding performance.
Iyer scored 50 runs off just 29 balls against CSK on Friday, playing a crucial role in helping Punjab Kings chase down a target of 210 runs in 18.4 overs.
Since IPL 2024, Iyer has played 43 matches, maintaining an impressive strike rate of 169.51. In 2024, he scored 351 runs for Kolkata Knight Riders, and in 2025, he continued his excellent form by becoming the leading run-scorer for Punjab Kings with 604 runs.
Saba Karim believes that despite his consistent performances, Iyer is still underrated.
In an interview with ESPN Cricinfo, Karim stated, “This match showcased how different Iyer is from other batsmen we have seen. Even in the T20 format, he appears flawless and has plenty of time. I believe he is perhaps the number one batsman against spin bowling in white-ball cricket, which includes ODIs and T20s. Against fast bowlers, since he has worked on his square shots on the on-side, he has become a more complete batsman, making him very hard to stop.”
Karim also highlighted the improvements in Iyer’s technique and playing style, which have made him more effective against various bowling styles and conditions.
He explained, “Before facing the ball, he positions himself very strongly. Look at his trigger movement; he shifts back, transferring his weight from one foot to the other. Then his front foot opens up easily, allowing him to play powerful shots. I think this is an area where he has worked hard. It helps him handle short balls effectively. He can either step forward or lean back slightly, hitting the ball fiercely either straight down or over the square-leg or mid-wicket boundary.”
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