Stranded on 97*, Shreyas Iyer tells partner: ‘Don’t think of my hundred’ | Shreyas Iyer displayed remarkable selflessness during Punjab Kings’ explosive innings against Gujarat Titans in the IPL, choosing team success over personal milestones as he remained unbeaten on 97—just three runs short of his maiden IPL century. His partner, Shashank Singh, stole the spotlight in the death overs, leaving Iyer stranded without facing a ball in the final over.
Iyer, who moved from Kolkata Knight Riders to Punjab Kings this season, walked in at No. 3 after an early wicket and immediately made an impact. Alongside debutant Priyansh Arya, who smashed 47 off 23 balls, Iyer helped Punjab race to 73 runs in the powerplay. Even after Arya’s dismissal, he maintained the momentum, reaching his fifty in 28 deliveries. A brutal 24-run over against Prasidh Krishna took him into the nineties, needing just 10 more off the last three overs to reach the milestone.
However, Shashank Singh’s explosive hitting in the final overs—including a 23-run assault against Mohammed Siraj in the 20th over—meant Iyer faced only four more deliveries, finishing unbeaten on 97 as Punjab posted a formidable 243/5. The defining moment came when Iyer, after giving Shashank the strike in the penultimate over, didn’t get another chance to bat. Even when a wide in the final over could have allowed a quick single, the pair decided against it, prioritizing the team’s total over personal glory.
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Shashank later revealed Iyer’s selfless approach, telling Ravi Shastri, “Shreyas from ball one told me, ‘Shashank, don’t think of my hundred. Just play your shots and finish it well.’” The young batter credited Iyer’s leadership for giving him the freedom to play fearlessly. While missing out on a century may have been disappointing, Iyer’s decision to put the team first earned widespread praise, proving that sometimes, the most impactful innings are the ones where personal milestones take a backseat to collective success.
