Ahmedabad, March 25 – Punjab Kings started their 2025 Indian Premier League (IPL) campaign with an 11-run victory over Gujarat Titans at the Narendra Modi Stadium on Tuesday. Punjab’s captain, Shreyas Iyer, played a stellar knock of an unbeaten 97, with support from Priyansh Arya and Shashank Singh, helping the visitors post a massive 243/5 in 20 overs after being asked to bat first by Gujarat Titans.
In their chase of 244, Gujarat’s openers, Shubman Gill and Sai Sudarshan, struggled early against Punjab’s pace attack led by Arshdeep Singh and Azmatullah Omarzai. After failing to score any runs, Glenn Maxwell made a mark by dismissing Gill in the powerplay. Jos Buttler, making his debut for Gujarat after seven seasons with Rajasthan Royals, steadied the ship with Sudarshan. Sudarshan, after a slow start, accelerated and scored 74 runs from 31 balls, including five boundaries and six sixes, before being dismissed by Arshdeep.
With Gujarat needing 70 runs off 30 deliveries, their Impact Player, Sherfane Rutherford, tried to spark a late charge with two sixes and a four off Marcus Stoinis. Buttler, who had reached his 20th IPL half-century, was dismissed by Marco Jansen, bringing Rahul Tewatia to the crease. However, Tewatia fell on the first delivery he faced, and Rutherford was dismissed soon after, with Arshdeep sealing the win for Punjab by casting him out.
In the first innings, debutant Priyansh Arya started with a bang, helped by a dropped catch by Arshad Khan. Arya, alongside Iyer, took on the Gujarat bowlers, including a massive 21-run over off Arshad. However, Rashid Khan struck, dismissing Arya in the seventh over. Sai Kishore then took center stage, removing Azmatullah Omarzai and Glenn Maxwell in consecutive deliveries. Despite Punjab’s setbacks, Iyer raised a 57-run stand with Marcus Stoinis before Kishore claimed his wicket. Iyer and Shashank Singh powered through a 71-run partnership off just 28 balls, with Singh finishing unbeaten on 44 off 16 balls.
In the end, Iyer’s unbeaten 97 guided Punjab to a challenging total, but Gujarat’s chase fell short by 11 runs.
Brief Scores:
Punjab Kings: 243/5 in 20 overs (Shreyas Iyer 97*, Priyansh Arya 47; Sai Kishore 3-30, Kagiso Rabada 1-41, Rashid Khan 1-48)
Gujarat Titans: 232/5 in 20 overs (Sai Sudharsan 74, Jos Buttler 54, Sherfane Rutherford 46; Arshdeep Singh 2-36, Marco Jansen 2-44)
Punjab Kings won by 11 runs.