Captain Shreyas Iyer is on the cusp of making history for Punjab Kings as the franchise prepares to take on the Royal Challengers Bengaluru in the Indian Premier League final at Ahmedabad’s Narendra Modi Stadium.
PBKS have never won an IPL title, and tonight will be their second-ever appearance in the summit clash, after a gap of 11 years.
He has led from the front and scored a breathtaking 87* (41) against the Mumbai Indians in the Qualifier 2 match to win the game for PBKS.
While Iyer has garnered the affection of PBKS fans in his first season at the franchise with impressive performances with the bat and as captain, his four sixes to seal the Qualifier 2 game would have only further cemented his place in their hearts.
Mumbai boy as ‘Sarpanch Saab’?
PBKS co-owner Preity Zinta and Iyer sat down ahead of the final and discussed the nickname the loyal fans have given their stylish captain.
The Bollywood actress wanted to find out the origin of PBKS captain’s nickname, ‘Sarpanch Saab’, and probed Iyer on it.
Zinta asked, “You’ve been named Sarpanch Saab. So, how does a Mumbai boy who went to Kolkata now become a Punjabi? How did you get this tag of Sarpanch Saab?”
Iyer quipped, “I seriously have no idea about it. I’ve got no clue how I got this name but I am sure it came from the management.
“So, wherever I go in Punjab, in Chandigarh, whenever I get out of the hotel, fans say, ‘Sarpanch Saab, one photo please'”.
Shreyas Iyer road in Punjab?
He also spoke about a funny incident he encountered when he was stopped at a traffic light after a training session.
“We were stopped at the signal and there was this car filled with five guys. They saw me sitting in the car and said ‘Sarpanch Saab win us the title this year and we will name a street after you,” he said in the interaction. Watch here:
Iyer has a chance to be part of PBKS forklore if he ends a successful season with the ultimate prize in T20 league.
PBKS made their maiden IPL final apperance in 2014 but their hearts were broken by Kolkata Knight Riders.
Some 11 years later, Iyer and his teammates can heal the heartbreak by leading PBKS to their first-ever IPL title in 2025.
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PBKS, IPL 2025, Shreyas Iyer, Punjab Kings, Royal Challengers Bengaluru, IPL final, IPL title, Narendra Modi Stadium
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