For Shreyas Iyer, June has been a month of heartbreak. Just ten days after leading Punjab Kings to the IPL 2025 final, only to fall short against Royal Challengers Bengaluru, the India batter suffered yet another final defeat — this time in the T20 Mumbai League. Iyer captained SoBo Mumbai Falcons in the local T20 competition and looked set to end the month on a high. But it wasn’t to be. His side was beaten by Mumbai South Central Maratha Royals in the final held at the Wankhede Stadium, with Iyer himself failing to make a mark with the bat, echoing his subdued performance in the IPL final.Before enduring two back-to-back final defeats this June, Shreyas Iyer had built an enviable record in title clashes. He was part of the Mumbai team that lifted the Ranji Trophy, played a crucial role in India’s Irani Cup triumph, and captained Kolkata Knight Riders to a memorable IPL 2024 title. He also led his state side to victory in the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy, and was a member of India’s squad that clinched the Champions Trophy 2025 earlier this year. Speaking after the match, an emotional Iyer said, “Don’t want to pinpoint any particular incident. Overall, the boys were brilliant with their efforts. We lost just one game en route to the final. Just a one-off game where you can’t single out anyone — it’s basically backstabbing, and I don’t enjoy that.”
Iyer acknowledged the hurt of a second straight title loss but encouraged his team to take pride in their campaign: “It’s pretty common to feel dejected after a final loss. It must hurt them. But when they come back next year, they’ll have that extra motivation and confidence. They should be proud of their effort.”Quiz: Who’s that IPL player? Adding to the occasion, Indian cricket legend Rohit Sharma was in attendance and personally handed over the runners-up medal to Iyer.
