Shreyas Iyer 'hardly slept for 4 hours'; says he's 'not content' after epic MI show: 'Went to my room... next I know...'

Shreyas Iyer said he barely slept after PBKS’ epic win vs MI; remains restless ahead of IPL 2025 final clash vs RCB in Ahmedabad

Shreyas Iyer barely slept after his epic knock of 87 not out against the Mumbai Indians on Sunday in Ahmedabad, as he etched his name in record books after sending Punjab Kings to their first ever IPL final in 11 years. But the Punjab captain admitted he is still not at peace, with the most important game in the tournament up ahead, where they will face the Royal Challengers Bengaluru at the Narendra Modi Stadium.

Punjab Kings' captain Shreyas Iyer speaks during a press conference at the Narendra Modi Stadium, on the eve of the IPL final (AFP)

Amid able assistance from Josh Inglis, Priyansh Arya and Nehal Wadhera, Iyer constructed a perfect knock to end Mumbai's run in the second Qualifier of the IPL 2025, chasing down 204 with an over to spare.

Speaking to the press ahead of the final in Ahmedabad on Tuesday, Iyer opened up on being in that destructive zone against Mumbai Indians, which he revealed started from the day before the match, until that final six. But with the job not yet done, he is still not content.

“When I say that I am in the zone, it starts from before the match, from the warm-up and how you plan yourself and approach the game. Once I was completely locked in, I knew how I was going to rally my players, and they did a phenomenal job in restricting them to 203. From there, I had a certain plan on how I was going to play on that red-soil surface. We got a beautiful start from our openers, and then Josh came in at No. 3, so I thought I would get a little bit of time. Once my eyes were set, it was all about the flow and backing my instincts. Happy, but not content,” he said.

When asked about his sleep with the match ending at almost 1:40 AM in the night, Iyer said that he he could managed just four hours of sleep before getting into pre-final proceedings, which included the press conference.

“I could not sleep. I only got four hours of sleep last night, and here I am. I went to my room. And then next thing I know, I am here doing the PC,” he said.

PBKS, who finished top of the league table, were outplayed by the RCB in the first Qualifier last Thursday in Chandigarh, losing by eight wickets. It was their second consecutive loss against the Rajat Patidar-led side, both happening at the same venue. PBKS will, hence, look to level the score in the final on Tuesday, despite RCB having the advantage of a five-day rest period since their last outing.