"Ecstatic...": Shreyas Iyer after maiden IPL ton in PBKS win over LSG

Lucknow (Uttar Pradesh) [India], May 24 : Punjab Kings (PBKS) captain Shreyas Iyer was left elated after producing a match-winning, unbeaten century to guide his side to a seven-wicket victory over Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) in IPL 2026 on Saturday night at the Ekana Stadium.
Iyer, who was adjudged Player of the Match, said the win was particularly special as it came after a difficult run of six consecutive defeats. During his magnificent unbeaten IPL century, the right-handed batter also completed 7000 runs in T20 cricket.
"Ecstatic, first hundred of the season, we won eventually after six consecutive losses. Support MI tomorrow," Iyer said.
Reflecting on the match situation, the PBKS skipper praised the bowling unit for pulling things back after a tough start.
"Elated by the bowling performance after going for 16 off the first over, Omarzai bowled brilliantly... It's all about momentum in this situation. Chahal got a crucial wicket of Pant; he showed his character after leaking runs in the previous game," he said.
Iyer also spoke about his batting approach, emphasising patience and timing in a high-pressure chase.
"I know if I give myself time in the middle and time the ball, rather than getting on top of the ball ... I know I need to stay out there for as long as possible," he said.
The PBKS captain also lauded opener Prabhsimran Singh for his temperament and partnership at the top.
"Prabhsimran Singh was temperamentally active, and the communication we had was great ... surreal feeling, finishing a game and scoring a century, I was in a great mind space, felt super from within. Partnership was crucial, creating momentum in the game," Iyer said.
He further revealed that the team avoided over-complication in their preparation and preferred a calm, free-flowing environment.
"We just kept it simple, rather than having a meeting and putting pressure on the boys. Free flow of mind is required in crucial games, don't want to make them overthink, told Ponting we don't need to do a team meeting," he added.
Coming to the match, Punjab Kings produced a dominant all-round performance to defeat Lucknow Super Giants by seven wickets in their IPL 2026 clash in Lucknow, chasing down a target of 197 with ease.
Skipper Shreyas Iyer led from the front with a brilliant unbeaten maiden IPL century (101 off 51 balls), while Prabhsimran Singh contributed a fluent 69 off 39 balls as the duo powered PBKS to a strong finish and moved the side to fourth in the standings with 15 points.
Earlier, LSG posted 196/6 after a strong start from Josh Inglis (72 off 44) and a quickfire 37 from Abdul Samad, despite regular breakthroughs from Punjab bowlers, including Yuzvendra Chahal and Marco Jansen. However, their total proved insufficient as PBKS batters overhauled the target comfortably with an over to spare.