Last night’s IPL 2025 match between Punjab Kings (PBKS) and Gujarat Titans (GT) at the gigantic Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad was nothing but a run fest, with a total of 475 runs being scored in the game. Batting first, Punjab Kings posted a huge 243/5 in their 20 overs, which was anchored by their new skipper Shreyas Iyer‘s unbeaten 97 off 42 balls. The 2014 finalists capitalized on a strong start provided by debutant Priyansh Arya (47 off 23). In the fag end of the innings, Shashank Singh played a quick cameo, smashing 44 off 16 balls to guide the side to their second-highest IPL total.

In reply, the home team fought hard till the last but fell short by 11 runs, finishing their innings at 232/5. While GT skipper Shubman Gill started well with 33 off 14 balls, it was his opening partner, Sai Sudharsan, who took the chase deep with a 74 off 41 deliveries. Veteran wicketkeeper-batter Jos Buttler chipped in with a handy fifty, but Punjab’s bowling in the final four overs got them back in the game. Vijaykumar Vyshak, Arshdeep Singh, and Marco Jansen helped the side win a close game. Meanwhile, the clash saw two brilliant individual performances with the bat from both teams, with Iyer’s unbeaten 97 and Sudharsan’s 74; both innings were impactful in their respective manners.

Here are the criteria for comparing the two knocks witnessed in the last match:

1. Strike Rate

In this game, Iyer played at a strike rate of 230.95, completely hammering the bowlers all over the park from the start of his innings. The 30-year-old, who is a great player of spin, smashed the pacers with the same ease. Smashing nine sixes and five fours, he kept the scoreboard ticking and put the GT’s bowlers on the back foot throughout his innings.

On the other hand, Sudharsan, despite playing a fine knock, managed a strike rate of 180.48, which fell short in comparison to Iyer’s. He paced his innings well initially but wasn’t able to maintain the same level, mainly in the final stretch of the chase when GT needed quick runs. In his 41-ball stay, he hit five boundaries and six maximums.

2. Range of Shots

The right-handed batter’s knock was a mix of power-hitting and rotation of the strike. He played shots all around the ground, using his wrists well to flick sixes over deep midwicket, stepping out to hit spinners down the ground, and even playing the cuts and pulls whenever required. While the other batters were struggling to play Sai Kishore, he managed to score 17 runs off him, which included two sixes. He equally punished star Afghanistan spinner Rashid Khan, getting 17 runs off him as well. Against the pacers, his best came out against Prasidh Krishna, where he hit him for three huge sixes in a single over.

Meanwhile, the southpaw had a more classical approach. His innings relied on timing rather than just hammering big shots. The Tamil Nadu player played some good-looking cover drives and flicks but lacked the range that Iyer displayed. Sudharsan’s range was dominantly on the leg side, with only 15 runs on the off side. His best came against Yuzvendra Chahal, from whom he got 29 runs.

3. Impact

Iyer’s impact was more significant as his team won the game eventually. Batting at No. 3, he planned his innings well and played in a calculated manner, ensuring Punjab Kings were never behind. His innings pushed the former champions onto the back foot and allowed his teammates to bat with freedom around him as he remained unbeaten till the end. Notably, this was his highest IPL score, surpassing his previous best of 96.

Though the 23-year-old kept his side in the chase, but couldn’t get them over the line. He played an anchoring role but was unable to accelerate at the required rate in the death overs. The Titans needed someone to take responsibility in the final five overs, but they struggled to match what PBKS had shown earlier. By the time Sudharsan was dismissed, GT had fallen behind the run rate, making a successful chase look unlikely.