IPL 2025: SRH chasing 246 with 9 balls to spare left Shreyas Iyer amused

Hyderabad, April 13: In a match that produced 492 runs combined in two innings, Sunrisers Hyderabad chasing a target of 246 with nine balls to spare had Punjab Kings captain Shreyas Iyer laughing. The Punjab Kings captain also felt things could have been different in Match 27 of the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2025 if his team had taken two exceptional catches.

"It was a fantastic total. It has been making me laugh with the way they have chased it with two overs to spare," said Shreyas Iyer after the match on Saturday.

Abhishek Sharma tore off pages from IPL record books by scoring 141 off 55 balls, the highest individual score by an Indian batter, the fifth fastest century and the highest successful chase in the league's history as he along with Travis Head (66 off 37) helped Sunrisers Hyderabad beat Punjab Kings by eight wickets.

Asked what could have changed in the match, Iyer thought that the massive win and how it came about would not have been possible if his team had taken two "exceptional catches". He also termed Abhishek a bit lucky for the chance PBKS missed.

"We could have taken two exceptional catches. He [Abhishek] was a bit lucky as well even though he played an exceptional knock. Catches win you matches and we fell short there. We didn't bowl well but we have to go back to the drawing board. The way he smashed the ball and the opening partnership was great. Over here, the over rotation would have been better from my side," said Iyer.

The SRH captain also felt that New Zealand speedster Lockie Ferguson walking off the field just two balls into his spell, citing hip discomfort, also had a major impact on the match.

"It was a big impact. He is someone who can get you instant wickets. That was a big blow. He is someone who clicks 140 at all times and niggles happen. Other bowlers are also there to win matches. So no excuses," he added.

Iyer said they thought 230 was a good score to defend and did not admit that they fell 10 runs short.

"When we discussed out there, we thought 230 was a good score. But with the dew coming in, it made the wicket a bit easier. Also, credit was due. The way they batted was out of the world. It was one of the best knocks I have seen in the IPL," he added.

Reader Comments

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Rahul K.

What an insane chase! Abhishek Sharma was absolutely on fire 🔥 That 141 off 55 balls is going to be remembered for years. SRH's batting lineup is just terrifying this season!

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Priya M.

I appreciate Shreyas Iyer's sportsmanship here. Many captains would make excuses after such a loss, but he's giving credit where it's due while also pointing out where PBKS could improve.

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Arjun S.

While the batting was spectacular, I do think the bowling standards in IPL are dropping. 246 shouldn't be chased down so easily. Teams need to work on their death bowling strategies.

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Sanjana T.

That Head-Sharma partnership was pure carnage! 😱 I was at the stadium and the energy was electric. Never seen anything like this in all my years watching IPL!

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Vikram J.

Interesting that Iyer mentioned the dropped catches. That's cricket - small moments change big games. But honestly, even with those catches, SRH looked like they would've chased this down anyway.

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Neha R.

The real story here is Lockie Ferguson's injury. PBKS bowling attack looked toothless without him. Hope he recovers soon because they need his pace desperately.

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