During the IPL 2025 clash between Punjab Kings (PBKS) and Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) in Mullanpur, a concerning incident occurred when PBKS captain Shreyas Iyer left the field unexpectedly. The moment took place in the seventh over of RCB’s chase of a modest 158-run target.
Iyer’s departure raised eyebrows, especially given the tight situation in the match. ESPNcricinfo later reported that the skipper was feeling unwell and was unlikely to return for the remainder of the game. In his absence, Marcus Stoinis took over as the stand-in captain. The development was particularly worrisome, as leadership becomes even more critical when defending a low total in such high-stakes matches.
PBKS Falter After Solid Start with the Bat
Punjab Kings, after being put in to bat by RCB skipper Rajat Patidar, began their innings strongly. Openers Priyansh Arya and Prabhsimran Singh launched an aggressive assault, adding 42 quick runs. PBKS crossed the 50-run mark in just over five overs and were 62/1 at the end of the powerplay.
However, RCB’s spinners, particularly Krunal Pandya and Suyash Sharma, turned the game around. Krunal broke the momentum by dismissing Arya for 22 and returned to dismiss Prabhsimran for 33 just after the powerplay. From then on, PBKS struggled to maintain the scoring rate.
RCB Spinners Take Control; PBKS Finish with 157/6
The middle order collapsed under pressure, with Iyer himself managing only 6 off 10 balls before falling to Romario Shepherd, who was making his season debut. A run-out involving Nehal Wadhera and Josh Inglis further dented Punjab’s innings. Inglis tried to revive the scoring with a brisk 29 off 17 before being bowled by Suyash, who also removed Marcus Stoinis cheaply.
At 114/6 in the 14th over, PBKS seemed in deep trouble. However, Marco Jansen and Shashank Singh added an unbeaten 41-run stand to lift the team to 157/6 by the end of 20 overs. Shashank’s composed 31* off 33 and Jansen’s 25* off 20 offered some resistance, but the total still appeared below par on a good batting surface.
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