Punjab Kings batter Shashank Singh echoed coach Ricky Ponting’s phrases after the crew reached Qualifier 1 on Monday, saying that the sensation was surreal however the job was removed from over. Punjab turned the primary crew to safe a berth in Qualifier 1 after defeating Mumbai and now await their opponents for the match which might both be Gujarat Titans or Royal Challengers Bengaluru relying on RCB’s end result vs LSG on Tuesday.
“It feels surreal. The very best factor is, clearly, we manifested this as a crew – not simply individually, however as a unit. Proper after the public sale, we created a WhatsApp group and talked about successful the title this 12 months. Our first goal was to complete within the high two, and we’ve cleared that hurdle. Manifesting is one factor, believing is one other. We labored exhausting for this, and credit score goes to each single particular person related to Punjab Kings. It’s not simple ending within the high two of the league just like the IPL,” Shashank mentioned on the submit match press convention.
“Ending high two is simply half job carried out. We need to win. On June 4 at 12am after we are sitting in press convention having received the title, I can say that sure we’re on high of the world,” he added.
Earlier, PBKS coach Ponting had warned ‘they haven’t achieved something but’ after the MI win. Having been a perennially under-achieving facet, Punjab beneath new captain Shreyas Iyer and coach Ponting have made their first play-offs since 2014, which was the final time they made the ultimate as effectively.
“I’m clearly very happy for the group,” Ponting informed the host broadcasters after the match. “It’s quite a lot of exhausting work that goes into having the ability to obtain one thing like this as a crew. I believe it’s fairly apparent to see that this can be a actually gifted crew which are all on the identical web page and heading in the identical path. I imply yeah, it’s an important achievement until now however actually, for those who look again, we haven’t achieved something but. That’s the one factor I’ve been saying to the gamers because the second we certified,” he added.