Follow UsPunjab Kings (PBKS) pulled off a stunning win over Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR), defending a paltry score of 111. Former West Indies captain Ian Bishop believes it was down to the way Shreyas Iyer led the team, saying that he had made teams better wherever he went.
"Wherever Shreyas has gone, he’s made teams better. I have seen captains sit back and probably say, ‘Let’s take this deep’. But he didn’t. He made a move. And PBKS were rewarded with a bonus win," Bishop said on ESPNcricinfo's Time Out show.
Shreyas led KKR to their third Indian Premier League (IPL) title last year before the franchise let him go. The 30-year-old also played a key role in turning things around as Delhi Capitals (DC) captain, reaching the final in 2020.
Former India batter Ambati Rayudu, too, lauded Shreyas' composure. "He [Shreyas] has that composure as a person and as a captain, and that is why I feel… sir [Bishop] here has said he is a good captain, and that's because he has that composure," Rayudu said.
"I have known the best of captains who wouldn't have taken this score seriously. Trust me. But this guy did. Ponting does. Ponting would never give up. That’s a great combination they have. But only if they don’t change the players as often as they do. If they keep it constant, I think they’ll get a lot of success."
After defending the lowest total in IPL history, Punjab went to third in the points table. They will take this confidence into the next match against Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) on April 18 (Friday) in Bengaluru.