Records, runs, and twists! Shreyas Iyer's IPL 2026 in numbers
What's the story
A month ago, the Shreyas Iyer-led Punjab Kings already had one foot in the IPL 2026 playoffs. But scratchy fielding and a late dip in form never let the other foot land. From being unbeaten in their first seven games to eventually missing the playoff spot, the Kings saw it all. So did Shreyas, who signed off with an unbeaten ton.
Campaign
Highs and lows!
Under Shreyas, PBKS were ruthless in the season's first month. Not only were they unbeaten for seven matches, but they also chased down 265 against Delhi Capitals with seven balls to spare. Such was the dominance! However, nearly a month later, PBKS couldn't claim another point that could have sealed their playoff spot. Poor fielding and dropped catches led them to six successive defeats.
Information
Missing out on playoffs
PBKS finally snapped their winning streak by beating Lucknow Super Giants, but they couldn't touch the 16-point mark. One of their games in the first half was washed out. It was truly a tale of two contrasting halves.
Runs
Nearly 500 runs
Not that it would suffice, Shreyas's season as a batter was spectacular. He finished as PBKS' second-highest run-scorer. He concluded with 498 runs at an outstanding average of 55.33. His strike rate was also a sensational 168.81. The dasher smashed 30 sixes. His tally includes five half-centuries and a ton that came in PBKS' final encounter.
Records
Setting records with the bat
Shreyas's 101* (51) helped PBKS chase down 197 against LSG. He hit the winning runs and completed his century with a maximum. As per Cricbuzz, Shreyas became the third PBKS captain to hit a century after KL Rahul (132* vs RCB, 2020) and Adam Gilchrist (106 vs RCB, 2011). He also became the fourth player with an IPL hundred as captain in a run-chase.
Milestone
In elite company
During the tournament, Shreyas joined an elite list of players who have led in 100 or more IPL games. He joined legends MS Dhoni, Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli, and Gautam Gambhir. Interestingly, Shreyas remains the only captain to have led three franchises to IPL finals (DC, KKR, and PBKS). He even won one with KKR in 2024.