Australian pacer Josh Hazlewood had already built a psychological edge over Shreyas Iyer prior to this clash, having dismissed him three times in five previous IPL encounters
Shreyas Iyer, Josh Hazlewood (Pic: IPL/BCCI)
Punjab Kings were subjected to a brutal onslaught in Qualifier 1 of IPL 2025, as Royal Challengers Bengaluru came out with unrelenting aggression and precision at Mullanpur on Thursday. With every passing over, the pressure mounted, and Punjab’s batting unit crumbled under the weight of expectation and RCB’s fiery pace attack.
At the heart of their troubles was their captain and leading run-scorer, Shreyas Iyer, who once again faltered at his home venue. Iyer, who has been the cornerstone of Punjab’s batting lineup throughout the season, was expected to anchor the innings after early setbacks. However, he became the latest victim of his long-standing struggle at Mullanpur and his personal nemesis, Josh Hazlewood.
Hazlewood, known for his disciplined line and ability to exploit even the slightest weakness, struck early and decisively. The Australian pacer had already built a psychological edge over Iyer prior to this clash, having dismissed him three times in five previous IPL encounters. The numbers told a grim story, Iyer had managed just nine runs off 19 deliveries against Hazlewood, with a strike rate of 47.36.
The matchup lived up to its billing. Hazlewood took only three balls to dismantle Iyer’s resistance. Attempting a rash slog across the line under pressure, Iyer could only manage an outside edge, which was safely pouched by Phil Salt behind the stumps. His departure for just two runs left Punjab in disarray, deepening the top-order collapse that had already claimed Priyansh Arya and Prabhsimran Singh inside the powerplay.
The expectations from Iyer were massive, particularly with this being Punjab’s first home playoff match in over a decade. But his numbers at Mullanpur this season have been worrying. In five innings at the venue, his highest score remains a modest 10, with four of those outings ending in single-digit dismissals, including a duck. The inability to perform at home has become a glaring hole in an otherwise impressive season.
With the scoreboard pressure mounting and wickets tumbling, Punjab’s hopes of posting a competitive total took a major hit. Hazlewood’s clinical execution and psychological dominance over Iyer not only silenced the home crowd but also swung early momentum firmly in Bengaluru’s favour.
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