PBKS 'haven't achieved anything yet' - Ponting keeps it real

Punjab Kings (PBKS) might have qualified for the IPL 2025 playoffs for the first time in 11 years, and topped it up by sealing a top-two spot, but for head coach Ricky Ponting, they "haven't achieved anything yet" with the "big games" still to come.

PBKS moved to the top of the points table with a clinical win against Mumbai Indians (MI) in Jaipur and will now have two chances to make the final.

"I'm obviously very pleased for the group," Ponting said on the broadcast after the match. "It's a lot of hard work that goes into being able to achieve something like this as a team. I think it's pretty obvious to see that this is a really talented team that are all on the same page and heading in the same direction.

"I mean, yeah, it's a great achievement till now, but really, if you look back, we haven't achieved anything yet. That's the one thing I've been saying to the players since the moment we qualified.

"The vision for me was always to finish in the top two, and we've got there now. It's a really happy group and we've enjoyed our time in each other's company for the last ten weeks, but we've got another week to go yet."

Ponting heaped praise on Shreyas Iyer, with whom he has worked previously at Delhi Capitals (DC). Ponting said that he was determined to acquire Iyer at the last IPL auction, and that was visible with PBKS splurging INR 26.75 crore on him.

"I was pretty keen to work with him [Iyer] again," Ponting said. "It was pretty obvious that how much money I was willing to spend on him at the auction. We had a great working relationship in Delhi, we made a final [IPL 2020] in Delhi under his captaincy.

"I've known him as a person and as a player for a long time. He's a quality person and when you've got quality people around your team, when you're trying to make a difference and you're trying to change culture, that's what you need. If you spoke to the players individually, I think every single one of them would give Shreyas a great rap because he has spent a lot of time with them.

"He's pumped them up, he's given them a pat on the back when they needed it, and he's given them a kick in the pants when they've needed it as well, which is a sign of a really good and strong leader."

Iyer spoke about his camaraderie with Ponting. "He just gives me that freedom to go out there and express myself, especially being decisive on the field," Iyer said. "I tell him that 'you do the thinking outside, let me go and execute things on the field'. So yeah, all these things have culminated in a great way and I'm kind of ecstatic that everything is working.

"Ricky has been fantastic with the player management. And for me, it's important to gain the trust of each and every individual. And that happened initially by winning the matches. And the more interactions you have with the players, the more confidence they get."

Iyer was also effusive in his praise of Josh Inglis, for whom he sacrificed his No. 3 spot. The wicketkeeper-batter did not disappoint as he struck a vital 42-ball 73 against MI, setting the platform for PBKS' run-chase alongside Priyansh Arya.

"Our plan was that since he loves to play new ball, he was the only batsman we were chopping and changing right from the game he played," Iyer said. "So I wanted him to play more deliveries as much as possible. And we know he can be destructive and he can change the momentum of the game. It worked like wonder for us.

"Obviously, he's a big-match player and we saw that today. So yeah, fantastic attitude and I hope that he keeps continuing with the same."

It's been a sensational season so far for PBKS as they end the league stage with nine wins in 14 games. What's changed this time?

"I personally feel that every individual stepped up at the right time," Iyer said. "Starting from game one, we've been in that mindset that we have to win irrespective of whatever situation we've been provided. When we're down in the dumps, someone will put their hand up and say that, 'okay, I'm going to win the game from here'.

"That has been happening. Kudos to everyone for the contribution and also the support staff and management. They've been tremendous."