Beyond qualification: Punjab Kings batter shares Shreyas Iyer's blueprint for PBKS glory

Punjab Kings batter Shashank Singh said the team is not "top of the world" as qualifying for the playoffs is only half the job done. Shreyas Iyer's deputy also revealed the captain's motivational dressing room talk.

"No, not top of the world to be very honest," he told reporters after Punjab Kings' thumping seven-wicket win over Mumbai Indians at the Sawai Mansingh Stadium in Jaipur.

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"Because what we have believed, what we have manifested is still yet to come.

"So, obviously, this is something where we really enjoy it because we really enjoy each other's success. If we would have not qualified for the top two, we still would have been happy that we have qualified. But again, it's half the job done.

"The full job will be done on the 3rd of June, I guess. When, late at night, 12 o'clock, we'll have a press conference. That will be the time I'll tell you that, yes, we are at the top of the world," he added.

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-media-max-width="560"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Sealing a Q1 spot in style ��<br/><br/>Captain Shreyas Iyer adds the finishing flair as <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/PBKS?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#PBKS</a> defeat <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/MI?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#MI</a> in Jaipur ❤<br/><br/>Scorecard ▶ <a href="https://t.co/Dsw52HOtga">https://t.co/Dsw52HOtga</a><a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/TATAIPL?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#TATAIPL</a> | <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/PBKSvMI?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#PBKSvMI</a> | <a href="https://twitter.com/PunjabKingsIPL?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@PunjabKingsIPL</a> <a href="https://t.co/x93pqi4hxn">pic.twitter.com/x93pqi4hxn</a></p>&mdash; IndianPremierLeague (@IPL) <a href="https://twitter.com/IPL/status/1927062687021699258?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 26, 2025</a></blockquote>
Shashank also touched upon what captain Shreyas Iyer said in the dressing room after Punjab Kings qualified for the knockouts after a gap of 11 years.

"What Shreyas told in the last meeting is that qualification is half the job done, finishing top two is half the job done," he said.

Punjab Kings will lose Marco Jansen in the playoffs, who will be leaving for national duty. But Shashank said they have enough match-winners in the team.



"I mean, all good wishes to him. He is going for the World Test Championship (WTC). But then again, we have players to fill his boots," he said.

"When you see all 14 league games we have played, every match has seen a new face, a new hero. So, someday, Shreyas has done well. Today, Josh and Priyansh.

Who's that IPL player?

"Someday, Prabhsimran. Someday, Arshdeep. So, obviously, it's a combined team effort. When you finish in the top 2, the most important thing is that there isn't only 1 or 2 heroes. You have 11-12 heroes. Or if not 11-12, 6-7 heroes.

"So, obviously, our team has 6-7 heroes. And hopefully, in the finals, we all can come together and win the title."

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