Vijaykumar Vyshak’s Smart Bowling Helps Punjab Kings Edge Past Gujarat Titans by 11 Runs

One of the most thrilling encounters of IPL 2025 unfolded at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad, where Punjab Kings (PBKS) secured an 11-run victory over Gujarat Titans (GT) in a high-scoring battle. The match witnessed some explosive batting performances, as PBKS posted a massive 243/5 in their 20 overs, led by Shreyas Iyer’s blistering 97 off 42 balls and Shashank Singh’s late blitz of 44 off just 16 balls. In response, GT came close, powered by Sai Sudharsan’s 74 off 41, Jos Buttler’s 54 off 33, and Sherfane Rutherford’s 46 off 28, but fell just short at 232/5, thanks to smart bowling from Arshdeep Singh and Vijaykumar Vyshak in the death overs.

Punjab Kings Set the Stage on Fire with 243/5

Winning the toss, Gujarat Titans elected to field first, banking on the dew factor to help them chase down a total under the lights. However, PBKS came out all guns blazing, with Priyansh Arya and Prabhsimran Singh opening the innings. Arya, a promising young batter, looked in sublime touch, smashing 47 off just 23 balls at a strike rate of 204.34, including seven boundaries and two sixes. While he attacked the bowlers early, Prabhsimran (5 off 8) struggled, falling to Kagiso Rabada in the fourth over.

With PBKS at 28/1, skipper Shreyas Iyer walked in and completely changed the tempo. He took on Rashid Khan, Kagiso Rabada, and Prasidh Krishna, ensuring PBKS reached 79/2 by the end of the seventh over after Arya’s dismissal. Despite losing Azmatullah Omarzai (16 off 15) and Glenn Maxwell (0 off 1) in quick succession, Iyer held his composure.

By the 15th over, PBKS had crossed the 150-run mark, thanks to Iyer’s attacking strokeplay and Marcus Stoinis (20 off 15) providing support. The real fireworks came in the final five overs, when Shashank Singh unleashed his hitting prowess. He smashed six fours and two sixes, scoring 44 off just 16 balls at a strike rate of 275, taking PBKS past the 240-mark. Despite being just three runs away from a century, Shreyas Iyer selflessly gave the strike to Shashank, ensuring the team got maximum runs rather than focusing on his individual milestone.

PBKS finished their 20 overs at 243/5, with Iyer remaining unbeaten at 97 off 42 balls (9 sixes, 5 fours, SR 230.95). GT’s bowling struggled, with Sai Kishore (3/30) being the standout performer, while Rabada and Rashid took one wicket each but were expensive.

Gujarat Titans Fight Hard but Fall Short at 232/5

With a huge target of 244 to chase, Gujarat Titans needed a strong start, and their captain Shubman Gill delivered. Opening with Sai Sudharsan, the duo put up 61 runs in just 5.5 overs, with Gill smashing 33 off 14 balls (2 fours, 3 sixes, SR 235.71) before falling to Glenn Maxwell. However, Sudharsan continued the momentum, building a strong stand with Jos Buttler.

By the 10th over, GT had already reached 100, with Sudharsan reaching his half-century off just 31 balls. He played some elegant strokes, smashing five fours and six sixes, while Buttler played the anchor role, keeping GT in the hunt. At 12.5 overs, GT was 150/2, and the match seemed to be heading for a close finish. However, PBKS struck back with timely breakthroughs. First, Sudharsan fell for 74 (41 balls), caught at the boundary off Arshdeep Singh. Then, Jos Buttler (54 off 33) departed in the 18th over, bowled by Marco Jansen, leaving GT at 199/3. This derailed GT’s momentum as they now needed 45 off the last two overs.

Sherfane Rutherford (46 off 28) and Rahul Tewatia (6 off 2) tried to accelerate, but PBKS held their nerve in the final overs. Tewatia was run out in the 20th over, and despite Rutherford’s late blows, GT needed 27 runs off the final over, with Vijaykumar Vyshak bowling the crucial over. Vyshak conceded just one boundary and maintained tight lines, eventually sealing PBKS’ victory by 11 runs, with GT finishing at 232/5 in 20 overs.

TCNI’s Magic Moment of the Game

The best and TCNI’s Magic Moment of the Game came in the final over of Punjab Kings’ innings, with Shashank Singh on strike and Mohammed Siraj bowling. PBKS stood at 220/5 after 19 overs, needing a big finish to take full advantage of the high-scoring Ahmedabad pitch, especially with the dew factor making bowling harder in the second innings. Adding to the excitement, Shreyas Iyer was unbeaten on 97, just three runs away from a century. It was a tricky situation as should Shashank rotate the strike or go for the big shots? However, Shreyas Iyer, in a selfless move, urged Shashank to go for boundaries rather than worrying about his personal milestone. 

Taking his captain’s advice, Shashank unleashed an incredible assault on Siraj, smashing five fours in the over and collecting 23 runs, propelling Punjab Kings to a massive 243/5 in 20 overs. The over started with an upper-cut four over short third on the first ball. On the second delivery, he took two runs to keep the strike. What followed was a flurry of boundaries, a drilled drive wide of mid-off, a swatted four to deep cover, a leg-side flick, and a ramp shot over short third. With these explosive shots, Shashank ensured PBKS finished strong, while Iyer remained unbeaten on 97 off 42 balls. 

TCNI’s Hero of the Day

While Shreyas Iyer’s explosive 97 off 42 balls and Shashank Singh’s blazing 44 off 16 deliveries were crucial for Punjab Kings’ total of 243/5, the real game-changer of the night was Vijaykumar Vyshak. Named as Punjab’s Impact Player, Vyshak delivered a stunning spell under pressure, turning the match in his team’s favor with his clever bowling. Gujarat Titans were in full control at 169/2 after 14 overs, needing just 74 runs from the last six overs with eight wickets in hand. 

With Jos Buttler and Sherfane Rutherford at the crease, a Gujarat win seemed inevitable. However, Vyshak’s introduction in the 15th over proved to be the turning point. Bowling against two power-hitters, he conceded only 5 runs in his first over, suddenly shifting the momentum towards Punjab Kings. Recognizing his effectiveness, captain Shreyas Iyer trusted Vyshak again in the 17th over, and once more, he delivered a tight spell, conceding just 5 runs. His disciplined bowling increased the required run rate, leaving Gujarat Titans needing 56 runs from the last three overs.

Despite conceding 18 runs in the 19th over, the damage had already been done. His earlier two economical overs had built immense pressure, forcing Gujarat’s batters into making mistakes. Ultimately, Punjab Kings won the match by 11 runs, and Vyshak’s spell was a significant factor in this thrilling victory. While the spotlight may have been on Punjab Kings’ batting heroes, Vijaykumar Vyshak’s smart bowling in crunch moments proved to be the difference, making him TCNI’s Hero of the Day.