Punjab Kings captain Shreyas Iyer’s scintillating form continued as his side extended their unbeaten run in the IPL 2026 season with a seven-wicket thrashing of the Mumbai Indians at the Wankhede Stadium on Thursday night.
Iyer’s dominant run has coincided with Punjab translating their form from last season, sealing three consecutive 190-plus chases. The India ODI vice-captain has been at the heart of all three wins in a row, scoring three back-to-back half-centuries.
On his home ground, Iyer steered another chase against with a masterful fifty. Backing up opener Prabsimran Singh’s unbeaten 80, Iyer’s half-century landed the hosts their fourth defeat in five games.
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Former India opener Aakash Chopra hailed Iyer’s efficiency in chases, likening his presence to that of India legend Virat Kohli.
“Iyer is the new chase master. We talk about Virat Kohli. If we are attaching someone else’s name with him, it’s an achievement in itself, but the truth is that his numbers are like his. He has an average of 65 and a strike rate of 180 in chases in the last two years,” he said.
“He goes after finishing the match. He got out this time, but the match was over. He had gotten out against as well, but the match was over. He has gotten out one or two times for sure, or else the average would have been 80. Shreyas is not knocking on the door. He is going to break it down. He is batting like that,” he observed.
Iyer’s knock of 66 from 35 deliveries was laced with five fours and four sixes.
Iyer has been a notch above his peers in clutch situations. “I was talking to him (Iyer) recently, and he said it is his job to take pressure. That tells a lot about him as a captain. He enjoys pressure,” teammate Nehal Wadhera had said on Wednesday.
“You can see it in his performance. He tells players to play their own game and not worry about results. He says, “I am here to take the pressure and get the team across the line”, he added.
