‘Nobody took Punjab Kings seriously’ – Sunil Gavaskar hails PBKS management after critical win vs MI

After the Shreyas Iyer-led Punjab Kings (PBKS) defeated the Mumbai Indians (MI) by seven wickets in Jaipur on Monday, May 26, at the Sawai Mansingh Stadium, to secure a top-two finish, Sunil Gavaskar commended the team’s management for their player selection at the IPL 2025 (Indian Premier League) mega auction.

At last year’s blockbuster auction in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, Punjab put together a rather inexperienced team. Despite having an experienced coach in Ricky Ponting and a shrewd leader in Shreyas at the helm, not many people gave them a chance. However, they have a ticket to the Qualifier 1 in Mullanpur on Thursday, May 29, thanks to the outstanding gelling of both the home players and the international stars.

Under pressure, uncapped players like Shashank Singh, Prabhsimran Singh, Nehal Wadhera, and Priyansh Arya have stepped up. Josh Inglis and Marco Jansen, two international players, have also made significant contributions in pivotal games. With a game-winning 42-ball 73 against MI, the Australian batsman-wicketkeeper was named Player of the Match.

“Punjab Kings were not taken seriously. Additionally, they made judicious selections in the auction, acquiring numerous young, uncapped Indian players. They’ve witnessed them. They have witnessed their actions and where they have gone. There are numerous state leagues that are taking place, but you can’t always rely on what’s going on there.

NDTV Sports cited Sunil Gavaskar as saying, “The bowling attacks may not always be good.”

“Even so, you can tell a man has potential if he smacks seven sixes like Priyansh Arya. selecting players from abroad as well. They’ve done a great job. Bravo to them. Very pleased for them. “Well,” he said, “I informed you prior to the game that the trophy would bear a new name.

Arya, Inglis shine as Punjab cruise to impressive victory

Speaking of the high-voltage IPL 2025 clash, Punjab Kings chased down a 185-run target with consummate ease on Monday. Apart from Inglis’ scintillating half-century, Arya also slammed 62 runs off 35 balls before Shreyas (26*) took his team home with nine balls to spare.