After the Punjab Kings secured a top two finish in the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2025 season, batsman Shashank Singh praised captain Shreyas Iyer and head coach Ricky Ponting for a shift in leadership, culture, and belief.

After defeating the Mumbai Indians to go one step closer to winning the championship, the Kings celebrated that evening. However, Shashank said that the actual party will take place on June 3.

With 19 points after the victory against MI, PBKS jumped to the top, but Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) might catch up to them if they defeat the Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) in their last group-stage game.

It’s just half the work done to finish in the top two. I assume that the whole project will be finished by June 3. At twelve o’clock in the evening, we will have a news conference. “I’ll tell you then that we are at the top of the world,” Shashank said at the news conference held after the game.

To be very honest, it seems unreal. It’s really fulfilling and feels great. One of the nicest things is that we materialized as a team, not just myself. We established a WhatsApp group and conducted discussions after the auctions were over. We thus made it a reality that we would take home the trophy this year. Our first goal was to be among the top two, and we have clearly overcome that obstacle.

However, believing and manifesting are two different things. Thus, we put forth a lot of effort. The management, the support team, and each and every person deserve the recognition. Not only the athletes and coaches, but everyone connected to us. Before the IPL, we had four or five camps, and the results are visible. We are in the top two, and finishing in the top two is difficult in a league like the IPL.”

The media questioned if the Punjab Kings, one of only three original clubs without an IPL trophy to far, were already feeling like winners. Without hesitation, Shashank responded.

Even if they lose the first game, PBKS will have the safety net of a second chance if they place in the top two, guaranteeing them a place in Qualifier 1 of the playoffs. Singh warned the players not to get comfortable, even though it’s a big advantage in their pursuit of their first IPL championship.

“I am not yet at the top of the planet. We have not yet reached what we have thought. In this regard, we really take pleasure in each other’s accomplishments. We would have been pleased to qualify even if we hadn’t placed in the top two. Once again, however, it’s just half done. In the last meeting, Shreyas said that “qualification is half-job done.”

At that point, he gave the comment he started with: “I assume the whole project will be finished on June 3rd. At twelve o’clock in the evening, we will have a news conference. I will say to you, “Yes, we are at the top of the world,” at that point.

Shashank made no secret of his respect for coach Ricky Ponting and captain Shreyas Iyer, who has been his buddy for a long time. “My best buddy Shreyas is incredibly special. I’ve known him for 10 or fifteen years. To be quite honest, one of the nicest things that has ever happened to me is playing under him as captain,” Shashank said.

“What is very admirable about him is the way he gives freedom to everyone—not just me, but all 25 of them, along with support staff, the members of the media team, the content team, the logistics team, and everyone else.”

As Ricky Sir and Shreyas stated on the first day of our meeting, “And the way he has developed a culture in the Punjab Kings side— obviously we love each other, we care for each other; that we need to maintain a culture, we need to care for each other, and obviously the result will take care of itself.”

Ponting also received particular recognition from Shashank, who said, “Ponting has transformed the team culture, our thinking, and our beliefs. He must thus be given credit for all of those things as it is clear that he is the one who altered our viewpoint on the game. On the first day, he and Shreyas informed us that they would treat our bus driver and Yuzi Chahal, who may be our most experienced player, equally. This is what they have kept. This speaks much about the group.

One of only six players, and the only one from outside the country, to have participated in every game for PBKS this season, Marco Jansen, will now be missed by the squad. Jansen is scheduled to go for the final of the World Test Championship.