Punjab Kings Secure 11-Run Victory Over Gujarat Titans in IPL 2025 Opener
Punjab Kings kicked off their 2025 Indian Premier League (IPL) campaign with a thrilling 11-run victory over Gujarat Titans at the Narendra Modi Stadium on Tuesday.
In a high-scoring encounter, Punjab posted a mammoth total of 243/5 in their allotted 20 overs, with captain Shreyas Iyer leading the charge with an unbeaten knock of 97 runs. Iyer’s blistering performance was complemented by valuable contributions from debutant Priyansh Arya (47) and the explosive Shashank Singh (44*). The impressive score was achieved despite early setbacks, with Gujarat’s bowlers, particularly Sai Kishore, picking up three wickets in his spell.
Asked to chase 244, Gujarat Titans began cautiously, with openers Shubman Gill and Sai Sudharsan struggling initially against Punjab’s potent bowling attack led by Arshdeep Singh and Azmatullah Omarzai. However, after a slow start, Sudharsan found his rhythm, scoring a quick-fire 74, including five boundaries and six sixes, before being dismissed by Arshdeep.
Gujarat’s Impact Player, Sherfane Rutherford, made an instant impact, smashing two sixes and a four off Marcus Stoinis. However, Punjab’s death bowlers rose to the occasion, restricting Gujarat to only 12 runs in two overs during the final stages of the chase.
Jos Buttler, making his debut for Gujarat after moving from Rajasthan Royals, fought valiantly with a 50 off 36 balls, but the required rate proved too high as he was dismissed by Marco Jansen. With 70 runs needed from the last 30 balls, Gujarat’s hopes of a comeback faded. Rahul Tewatia and Rutherford were dismissed in quick succession, with Arshdeep cleaning up Rutherford to seal Punjab’s win.
Earlier, in their innings, Punjab’s Arya got off to a blazing start with a dropped catch in the second over. Alongside Iyer, Arya took on Gujarat’s bowlers aggressively, particularly in the fifth over, which saw 21 runs off Arshad Khan’s bowling. Despite Arya’s dismissal at 47 off Rashid Khan’s bowling, Iyer and Shashank Singh kept the momentum going, with the latter smashing five boundaries in the final over to finish unbeaten on 44 off 16 balls. Iyer, too, played a crucial knock of 97*, falling just three runs shy of his maiden IPL century.
Brief Scores:
- Punjab Kings: 243/5 in 20 overs (Shreyas Iyer 97*, Priyansh Arya 47; Sai Kishore 3-30, Kagiso Rabada 1-41, Rashid Khan 1-48)
- Gujarat Titans: 232/5 in 20 overs (Sai Sudharsan 74, Jos Buttler 54, Sherfane Rutherford 46; Arshdeep Singh 2-36, Marco Jansen 2-44)
Punjab Kings emerged victorious by 11 runs in this high-octane IPL 2025 opener, with both teams showcasing explosive batting performances.
