Ponting reveals Iyer's tactical masterstroke behind PBKS' win over LSG

Punjab Kings (PBKS) head coach Ricky Ponting has revealed that it was captain Shreyas Iyer's decision to sacrifice himself and promote Josh Inglis to No.3 during their IPL 2025 clash against Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) in Dharamsala on Sunday.

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The move worked with Inglis hitting tearaway Mayank Yadav for three successive sixes in the second over. The Australian's 30 off 14 balls set the tone for the powerplay in which PBKS accumulated 66 for 2 that eventually helped them set a target of 237. LSG, during their chase, could manage only 38 for 3 and went on to lose the contest by 37 runs.

"It was actually a move that the captain came up with," Ponting told the media. "He thought on that sort of pitch, against that bowling attack, that it would be the right thing to, if a wicket fell early, to send Inglis in. We felt that Mayank would bowl early on. If you look at the way he bowls, he generally bowls reasonably short. And that's one of Inglis' great strengths, as you saw tonight. Those pull shots were pretty amazing straight away."

Iyer, who scored 45 off 25 balls, and the rest of the PBKS middle order then took full advantage of the solid start that Inglis and opener Prabhsimran Singh had set as they posted 236 for 5, their highest total against LSG.