IPL 2026: 'Mission is to lift trophy': Shreyas Iyer's bold statement as PBKS eye maiden title

Punjab Kings (PBKS) captain Shreyas Iyer has made it clear that while the ultimate goal is to lift the IPL 2026 trophy, the team is firmly focused on staying in the present and taking one game at a time. Under the leadership of Iyer and head coach Ricky Ponting, PBKS have emerged as one of the standout teams this season. They remain the only unbeaten side so far, having won four of their five matches, with one game washed out due to rain.

Speaking on JioStar, Iyer emphasised the importance of mindset and consistency over long-term thinking.

"The mission, obviously, is to lift the trophy. But I always feel that the more you stay in the present, the more you stay in control of what is in your hands at that moment and you just have to go full throttle. You don't have to think too far ahead or dwell on the past,'' Iyer said.

He added that the team is focused on self-improvement rather than external pressure.

''I reiterate the same point to my teammates as well, that when we are out there, we are playing for ourselves, not against the opponents. We just want to improve each day and make sure we put our best foot forward. When everything comes together and that synergy builds, everything falls into place," he added.

PBKS came close to glory last season but fell short in the IPL 2025 final, losing to Royal Challengers Bengaluru by six runs at the M. Chinnaswamy Stadium. The narrow defeat has only strengthened their resolve this year.

In their most recent outing, Punjab Kings delivered a dominant all-round performance against Mumbai Indians. Batting first, MI posted a competitive 195/6, powered by Quinton de Kock’s unbeaten 112 off 60 balls and a 122-run partnership with Naman Dhir, who scored a quick-fire 50.

However, PBKS bowlers, led by Arshdeep Singh, kept things in check. The left-arm pacer delivered a match-winning spell of 3/22 in his four overs, earning the Player of the Match award.

In reply, PBKS chased down the target comfortably in just 16.3 overs, finishing at 198/3. Prabhsimran Singh starred with a blistering unbeaten 80 off 39 balls, while Iyer anchored the innings with a fluent 66 off 35 deliveries. The pair stitched together a crucial partnership after early setbacks, ensuring there were no late hiccups.

Despite Allah Ghazanfar picking up two wickets for MI, the bowling unit struggled to contain PBKS’ aggressive batting lineup.