Punjab Kings had high expectations when they brought Glenn Maxwell back into their team at the IPL 2025 auction.
However, the Australian power-hitter's return to the franchise started on a disappointing note. In his first match against Gujarat Titans, Maxwell faced a setback with a first-ball dismissal, falling for a golden duck.
Attempting a reverse sweep on his opening delivery against R Sai Kishore, Maxwell was adjudged LBW. The situation was further aggravated as replays revealed the ball would have missed the stumps, yet Maxwell opted not to utilize the Decision Review System (DRS). This marked Maxwell's 19th duck in IPL history, setting an unenviable record for the most ducks by any batter.
In a match played on Tuesday, Punjab Kings showcased a commanding performance led by their new skipper, Shreyas Iyer. Iyer made a remarkable debut as captain, crafting a scintillating unbeaten 97 off just 42 balls, propelling his team to a formidable total of 243 for five.
His innings was embellished with nine towering sixes and five exquisite fours, narrowly missing out on his first IPL century. The innings concluded on a thrilling note as Shashank Singh unleashed an explosive cameo, smacking 44 off 16 balls, including six fours and two sixes.
A promising start for Punjab was set by Priyansh Arya, who demonstrated aggression from the outset.
Arya, a Rs 3.8 crore acquisition for PBKS at the last auction, hammered 47 from 23 balls. His assault included a massive six over Mohammed Siraj followed by a boundary, capitalizing on the power play to propel Punjab to 73/1 after six overs.
Kagiso Rabada provided Gujarat Titans with their first breakthrough when he had Prabhsimran Singh caught in the deep. This allowed Shreyas Iyer to stride to the crease, where he immediately impressed with a stylish drive and a six over deep square leg off Rabada.
Arya's onslaught continued against Arshad Khan, seizing 21 runs off the fifth over. His efforts were halted, however, by Rashid Khan, who dismissed Arya with a sharply turning delivery that induced a top edge.
Following Arya's departure, Afghanistan’s Azmatullah Omarzai offered a brief but bright response, launching Rashid Khan for a six off his first ball. Yet, PBKS faced a setback when R Sai Kishore dismissed both Omarzai and Maxwell in successive deliveries, bringing the team to 105/4 in the 11th over.
Nonetheless, Shreyas Iyer's masterclass was far from over. Demonstrating immense skill and power, he reached his half-century in a mere 27 deliveries. Exploiting the bowlers, Shreyas lofted Sai Kishore for successive sixes and later targeted Rashid Khan, dispatching him for consecutive sixes, both straight down the ground and over deep mid-wicket.
Mohammed Siraj returned to bowl, but faced the onslaught of both Shreyas and Marcus Stoinis, each hitting a maximum, further fortifying Punjab's dominating innings.
The Punjab Kings' dazzling performance has sent a strong message in this edition of the IPL, with Shreyas Iyer's inauguration as captain proving to be an auspicious beginning despite Glenn Maxwell's unprecedented duck.
