New Delhi [India], April 28 (ANI): Punjab Kings (PBKS) captain Shreyas Iyer recalled his first close interaction with former India all-rounder Irfan Pathan during the inaugural season of the Indian Premier League (IPL) in 2008.

Speaking on JioStar, Iyer revealed that he was working as a ball boy at the time and vividly remembers the moment Pathan approached him and another youngster after completing an over.

'I remember the first time I saw you. I was a ball boy in the first IPL season when you were playing for Punjab. You had just finished bowling an over. I was sitting at the boundary line with another ball boy,' Iyer said.

Recalling the interaction, the PBKS skipper added, 'You walked over and asked us how we were feeling. We said it felt great. At that moment, it felt amazing that an IPL player and an India cricketer had come and spoken to us.'

The Punjab Kings skipper described the encounter as a defining and emotional experience from his early days as a cricket enthusiast. 'It was a very special feeling,' Iyer said.

Iyer also reflected on his journey as a cricketer, highlighting how personal growth off the field and dealing with setbacks have shaped his self-belief and mental resilience.

Speaking about handling pressure and bouncing back from tough phases, Iyer said maturity comes from experiences beyond the game.

'Maturity as a cricketer comes from learning outside the field--facing rejections and losing games. As a kid, during my matches and selection trials, I faced many difficult moments. Ups and downs are part of everyone's life,' he said.

The PBKS skipper emphasised the importance of mental strength and positive self-talk in overcoming challenges. 'The faster you bounce back from tough times and turn them into positives, the better. Self-talk matters a lot. People will always try to pull you down, but how you pick yourself up is what counts,' he added.

Iyer also revealed that he consciously takes time away from cricket to maintain balance and clarity. 'Sometimes I read books that make me feel good. I try to shift my mind away from cricket. I go on a holiday and spend time alone. Letting go is very important,' he said.

Highlighting the need to accept failures, Iyer said players must not get consumed by missed goals. 'You set a goal and want to achieve it. But you also need to tell yourself that if it doesn't happen, it's fine. Accept it and move on. Otherwise, you keep thinking about what went wrong and fall further behind,' he noted.

Sharing a key realisation in his journey, Iyer said acceptance has helped him stay grounded. 'I reached a point where I realised that even if I don't achieve a particular goal, it's okay. You move on and try to achieve something else,' he concluded.

In the ongoing IPL 2026 edition, the Shreyas Iyer-led PBKS registered their sixth consecutive win. They pulled off the highest successful run chase in T20 cricket history, defeating Delhi Capitals (DC) at the Arun Jaitley Stadium in New Delhi. Punjab chased down the record 265 target with seven balls left on Saturday.

With this win, PBKS stands unbeaten with six wins and a no result, giving them 13 points. Punjab also broke their record of chasing down 262 against the Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) in the 2024 season.

Punjab will next lock horns against Rajasthan Royals (RR) on April 28. (ANI)