Punjab Kings captain Shreyas Iyer faced an injury scare during his team’s IPL 2026 opener against the Gujarat Titans on Tuesday, March 31. Playing at the Maharaja Yadavindra Singh International Cricket Stadium in New Chandigarh, the hosts claimed a composed win against the 2022 champions, but it was Iyer’s injury that has started a debate whether the star cricketer has any serious blow to his wrist.
Chasing a 163-run target, Iyer came in to bat during a tricky situation, and while being at the non-striker’s end, the Mumbai-born copped a blow on his wrist. He got the blow checked with the team physio but continued to bat at the crease. After the match, Iyer has revealed the status of his injury but has also concealed specifics of the injury, if any.
“I would say it [the wrist] is nice. It is the same as it was before. Don’t want to jinx it; hopefully everything will come out all right,” he said, as quoted by India Today.
Check the video of Shreyas Iyer’s injury here
PBKS captain Shreyas Iyer suffered a hand injury after being hit by a shot from Connelly. pic.twitter.com/IobUBK7f7M
— Surendra Yadav (@surendraYadav22) March 31, 2026
Though Iyer could not contribute much, smashing 18 off only 11 balls before being dismissed off Prasidh Krishna, it was the debutant Cooper Connolly, who smashed an unbeaten 72 off just 44 balls to see the hosts through, as Punjab won by three wickets and five balls to spare. Iyer lavished praise on the Aussie cricketer for his brave batting in New Chandigarh, which also made him the Player of the Match award.
“I was focused on my hand inside, icing it. Then suddenly, we lost two wickets back-to-back. These things happen in IPL. You have to be calm and composed. Cooper was there, he was well set. Some of the shots he played were surreal to watch. The backfoot six off Rashid Khan to hit them so cleanly was phenomenal,” the PBKS skipper added.
Here is the new Starboy of Punjab Kings – Cooper Connolly 🌟
Fifty in the very first Innings in IPL. He is doing exactly what Inglis did last year. pic.twitter.com/WqekuH7U9Y
— Soman. (@Shreyasian96) March 31, 2026
PBKS will play next on Friday, April 03, against the five-time champions Chennai Super Kings. The game will be played at the iconic M. A. Chidambaram Stadium in Chennai, and the PBKS fans will be hoping that Iyer’s injury isn’t as serious ahead of the all-important match in the season, which has just begun.
