PBKS Still Top Despite GT Loss, Says Iyer After Narrow Defeat

Iyer lauded his team's fighting spirit, highlighting the challenging nature of the surface and the effort to recover from an early collapse.

Reflecting on the total of 163/9, Iyer said, "I personally feel it was a great score on a wicket where the ball was doing a bit at the start, especially the new ball." He credited Gujarat's bowlers for exploiting the conditions effectively, adding, "Their bowlers made the best use of the surface - the way they were hitting the lengths and the deck. It was right at the stumps and not giving us much options to open our arms and score runs."

Punjab were reduced to 35/3 in the powerplay and slipped further to 47/5, but a counter-attacking partnership between Suryansh Shedge and Marcus Stoinis revived the innings.

Iyer underlined the significance of that recovery, saying, "We lost four wickets I assume in the powerplay. To get to 160 from there was a phenomenal effort."

On the bowling front, the PBKS captain admitted that his side could not replicate Gujarat's execution with the new ball. "With the new ball I thought we would be able to hit our line and length and get early wickets. But that didn't work out," he said.

Despite the defeat, Iyer remained encouraged by the team's persistence, noting, "But the way we fought till the end, kudos to the efforts. The attitude and approach was excellent." He also pointed out where the bowlers fell short tactically, stating, "We missed out on hitting the hard lengths."

Elaborating on the difficulty of strokeplay on the surface, Iyer explained, "Hitting over midwicket or pull shot wasn't easy on this wicket because there was variable bounce. Wasn't an apt wicket to bat on."

He further acknowledged execution lapses as a key factor in the loss as he said, "In terms of execution, we fell a bit short."

Looking ahead, Iyer struck an optimistic note, emphasising the positives and the team's standing in the tournament. "We're still on top of the table, which is what matters. We'll take positives from this game," he said.

He also viewed such conditions as a learning opportunity for the bowling unit, adding, "It's a great challenge going forward in the IPL (playing on such pitches) because it tends to bring up the attitude of the bowlers as well. It can level up their confidence."

While acknowledging the disappointment of the result, Iyer reiterated the team's mindset going forward, stressing, "We wanted to win but it didn't click. Excited for the opportunity, want to get that two points."

He signed off with a note on preparation and belief, stating, "Have been working very hard in training. If the character is high and attitude is right, you'll get results eventually. Just got to stick to our basics and routines and not think too much ahead."

- IANS