New Delhi, May 29 (IANS) Punjab Kings skipper Shreyas Iyer opened up about the team’s renewed mindset and his motivation to end the team’s title drought and bring the IPL trophy home and give fans a reason to celebrate.

Iyer, the IPL 2024 winning captain for Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR), was acquired by PBKS in last year’s mega auction for a whopping Rs 26.75 crore. PBKS’ move to break the bank for Iyer has paid off as the side has secured a top-two finish and reached the playoffs for the first time since 2014.

“From the start, ever since I was picked in the auction, my desire has been clear — Punjab hasn’t won the trophy yet, and my goal is to help the team lift it for the first time. I want to make the fans proud and give them a reason to celebrate — because in the end, we all want to see that iconic Punjabi celebration,” said Iyer on Star Sports.

Under the captaincy of Iyer and the guidance of head coach Ricky Ponting, PBKS have reinvented its approach. Iyer and coach Ponting had worked together at Delhi Capitals previously, where they managed to enter the playoffs in the 2019 season, before becoming runners-up in the 2020 edition. Now reunited at the PBKS set-up, the Iyer-Ponting partnership has resurrected the side’s fortunes and have their eyes set on a maiden IPL title.

Ponting reflected on the culture shift he’s driving within the team and the collective hunger to achieve more this season, saying, “When I first took the job, the one thing I told the owners was — things are going to be different. But saying that is one thing, getting the players to buy in is another. They’re the ones who actually bring change, not me. I can share ideas, create a culture, but we all have to be in it together. That’s been my message from day one — from our baggage guys to our captain — we’re all on the same page, working toward the same goal.”

“It feels like the boys have bought into that, and they’re enjoying themselves. You see it around the team hotel and in the team room — there’s a lot of fun and energy. But we need to keep enjoying it and stay focused. There are still a few weeks left in the tournament. We’ve played good cricket, but we haven’t achieved anything yet. There’s still a lot more to accomplish as a team,” he added.

Punjab Kings will take on Royal Challengers Bengaluru in Qualifier 1 at home stadium in Mullanpur on Thursday. The team will eye to book a direct berth for the final with a win in front of home fans. The loser of the match will get another chance to aim for title clash through Qualifier 2 in Ahmedabad on Sunday.

–IANS

bc/ab