Dejected, Job Is Still Half Done: Shreyas Iyer Reacts After Gut-Wrenching IPL 2025 Final Defeat

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After a nail-biting IPL 2025 final where Punjab Kings fell just six runs short of victory against Royal Challengers Bengaluru on Tuesday, 3rd June, captain Shreyas Iyer shared his heartfelt thoughts on the team's performance and the road ahead.

While visibly dejected by the loss at the Narendra Modi Stadium, Iyer remained gracious and optimistic, praising the fighting spirit and fearless attitude of his team.

"Dejected to be honest," Iyer admitted after the loss, "but the way our boys came up to the occasion, the way we cherished, it wasn't immaculate but a lot of credit goes to the management, the support staff and each and every person who has participated and contributed."

Punjab Kings had a target of 191 to chase, and despite a strong start and a valiant late effort by Shashank Singh (61*), they couldn't quite cross the finish line. Reflecting on the match, Iyer pointed to one moment as the defining turning point-Krunal Pandya's brilliant spell for RCB. "They bowled brilliantly, especially Krunal. He carries a lot of experience and has done it over a period of time. I believe that was the turning point," he remarked.

Iyer also expressed pride in his young squad, many of whom were playing their debut IPL season. "The fearless nature that they showed was simply phenomenal. There are a lot of youngsters in the team... I'm sure they've gained a lot of experience from these matches."

Despite falling short in the final, Iyer sees this season as a stepping stone. "The job is still half done. We have to be here and win the trophy next year. We can build some tactics and strategies around this experience so that we can play some decent cricket."

With a strong core and a renewed sense of belief, Shreyas Iyer and Punjab Kings will look to return even stronger in IPL 2026. At the same time, Iyer also remains the only the IPL captain in history to reach the final three times with three different teams. But he has only won with KKR in 2024.