Mumbai (Maharashtra) [India] April 18 : Punjab Kings (PBKS) captain Shreyas Iyer expressed that the team's mission is to lift the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2026 trophy, but also admitted the need to be in the present to stay in control of things at hand.
In the current IPL season, PBKS, led by captain Iyer and coached by Ricky Ponting, remain the only unbeaten side so far. They have played five matches, winning four, while one game was washed out due to rain.
Speaking on JioStar, Shreyas Iyer said that the ultimate goal is to win the IPL trophy, but the team is focusing on staying present and taking things one step at a time. He emphasised playing with full intent in the moment, avoiding distractions from the past or future, and encouraging his teammates to focus on self-improvement. According to him, when the team builds synergy and performs consistently, results will naturally follow.
"The mission, obviously, is to lift the trophy. But I always feel that the more you stay in the present, the more you stay in control of what is in your hands at that moment and you just have to go full throttle. You don't have to think too far ahead or dwell on the past. I reiterate the same point to my teammates as well, that when we are out there, we are playing for ourselves, not against the opponents. We just want to improve each day and make sure we put our best foot forward. When everything comes together and that synergy builds, everything falls into place," Iyer said.
Punjab Kings failed to pass the final hurdle in IPL 2025 when they faced a defeat at the hands of the Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) in the final at M Chinnaswamy Stadium.
In their last match, the Punjab Kings put on a complete performance against the Mumbai Indians, defeating them by seven wickets.
Batting first, MI posted 195/6, powered by Quinton de Kock's brilliant 112* off 60 balls and a crucial 122-run partnership with Naman Dhir, who scored a quick 50. Arshdeep Singh led PBKS' bowling effort with the Player of the Match-winning figures of 3/22 in 4 overs.
In response, PBKS chased the target in just 16.3 overs, reaching 198/3. Prabhsimran Singh starred with an unbeaten 80 off 39 balls, while skipper Shreyas Iyer contributed a fluent 66 off 35 balls. The duo added a match-defining stand after early setbacks. For MI, Allah Ghazanfar picked up 2/32, but the bowlers were largely ineffective as PBKS dominated the chase.