Punjab Kings (PBKS) captain Shreyas Iyer has come under heavy criticism from former Australian all-rounder Tom Moody for his reckless shot selection during PBKS’ eight-wicket loss to Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) in Qualifier 1 of IPL 2025.
Iyer, who was expected to anchor the innings, fell cheaply to Josh Hazlewood, playing a wild shot that led to his dismissal for just 2 runs off 3 balls. Moody, speaking on ESPNcricinfo, slammed Iyer for misreading the game situation, stating that he should have put his ego in his pocket and played cautiously against Hazlewood, who has dismissed him four times in six T20 innings.
PBKS, playing their first IPL playoff since 2014, suffered a batting collapse, getting bowled out for 101 in 14.1 overs. Hazlewood and Suyash Sharma were the standout bowlers, picking up three wickets each.
Following Iyer’s dismissal, PBKS head coach Ricky Ponting was seen having an animated discussion with him in the dressing room, while Sunil Gavaskar, on commentary, also criticized the shot, calling it “a nothing shot.”
Despite the setback, Iyer remains optimistic, stating, “We have lost the battle, but not the war,” as PBKS prepares for Qualifier 2 against the winner of Gujarat Titans vs Mumbai Indians on June 1.
