Mullanpur: Exceptional knocks from Priyansh Arya and Cooper Connolly and a squeeze put by bowlers in the second half helped Punjab Kings (PBKS) secure a 54-run win over Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) at Mullanpur on Sunday.
PBKS are at the top of the table, unbeaten, with five wins and a no result, giving them 11 points. LSG is at the eighth spot in the points table with two wins and four losses. PBKS raced to 254/7, with knocks from Priyansh (93 in 37 balls, with four boundaries and nine sixes) and Connolly (87 in 46 balls, with eight fours and seven sixes) taking them to such a big score. LSG had their moments, with a 61-run opening stand between Ayush Badoni (35 in 21 balls, with five fours and a six) and Mitchell Marsh (40 in 28 balls, with three fours and two sixes) and a counter-attack from Rishabh Pant (43 in 23 balls, with a four and four sixes), but it was not enough.
In the run-chase of 255 runs, LSG came out with an opening pair of Mitchell Marsh and Ayush Badoni, who got a promotion up the order. In the third over, the duo took down Arshdeep Singh with three fours.
In the next over, Badoni turned the aggressor as Xavier Bartlett was taken down for 15 runs in the fourth over.
In the fifth over, two back-to-back boundaries by Badoni against Marco Jansen helped LSG reach the 50-run mark in 4.4 overs.
A fine catch from Bartlett ended the 61-run stand between the duo, as Vijaykumar Vyshak removed Badoni for a 21-ball 35, with five fours and a six.
In the eighth over, skipper Rishabh Pant launched Jansen for a couple of sixes. LSG reached the 100-run mark in 9.4 overs and ended the 10 overs at 102/1 with Marsh (39*) and Pant (24*) unbeaten.
Spinner Yuzi Chahal removed Marsh for a 28-ball 40, with three fours and six in the 12th over. LSG was 109/1 in 11.1 overs. However, Rishabh continued his attack undeterred, smashing Chahal for back-to-back sixes in the same over.
Arshdeep managed to get Rishabh's prized scalp for a 23-ball 43, with four fours and four sixes, caught by Prabhsimran behind the stumps. LSG was 128/3 in 12.4 overs. Jansen continued Nicholas Pooran's poor run, removing him for a run-a-ball nine. LSG was 139/4 in 14.2 overs, and the match continued to slip away from them.
Aiden Markram, who came down the order this time, stitched a partnership with Mukul Choudhary, still not enough to get a win. LSG finished at 200/5, with Mukul (21* in 17 balls, with a four and six) and Himmat Singh (1*) unbeaten as Aiden Markram (42 in 22 balls, with three fours and three sixes) fell in the final over.
Jansen (2/37) was the pick of the bowlers for PBKS, while Vyshak, Chahal and Arshdeep got one apiece.
Earlier, PBKS produced a record-breaking batting display to post 254/7 against Lucknow Super Giants (LSG), powered by explosive knocks from Priyansh Arya (93 in 37 balls, with four boundaries and nine sixes) and Cooper Connolly (87 in 46 balls, with eight fours and seven sixes).
Despite losing wickets in clusters towards the end, PBKS dominated most of the innings with a blistering top-order assault that saw multiple partnerships flourish and several bowlers taken apart. The total marked the highest score of the season so far, setting up a massive challenge for the visitors in the run chase.
After being put in to bat, Punjab Kings endured a shaky start as in-form opener Prabhsimran Singh was dismissed for a golden duck, with Lucknow Super Giants pacer Mohammed Shami striking early in just the third delivery of the innings.
However, Priyansh Arya and Cooper Connolly steadied the innings, taking the score to 26/1 after three overs. The pair then shifted gears in the sixth over, smashing 20 runs off Mohsin Khan, helping Punjab Kings finish the powerplay on a strong note at 63/1. PBKS reached their 50-run mark in 5.4 overs.
During the second ball of the ninth over, Priyansh Arya brought up a brilliant half-century off just 19 deliveries, registering his second fifty of the season and the fourth of his IPL career. His knock had three fours and four sixes.
PBKS reached the 100-run mark in 8.5 overs.
By the end of the 10th over, Punjab Kings were firmly in control at 110/1, building a commanding position in the innings after a strong start at the top of the order.
In the following over, Cooper Connolly brought up his half-century off just 34 deliveries as PBKS continued their dominant batting display, racing to 129/1. His knock had five fours and four sixes.
The assault continued in the 12th over, with Priyansh Arya and Connolly collectively taking Avesh Khan to the cleaners, smashing 18 runs off the over to maintain the high scoring rate.
The duo then unleashed a brutal onslaught on off-spinner Aiden Markram, plundering 32 runs in the over, which included five towering sixes. Their aggressive batting powered Punjab Kings to a commanding 179/1 after 13 overs, firmly putting them in control of the innings.
32 runs conceded by Markram make it the most expensive over for an LSG bowler in the IPL, surpassing 27 by Ravi Bishnoi vs RCB in the 2022 Eliminator in Kolkata.
In the 14th over, pacer Prince Yadav finally broke the explosive partnership, dismissing dangerous Cooper Connolly for a blazing 46-ball 87, an innings laced with eight fours and seven towering sixes. His wicket also ended a massive 182-run stand for the second wicket between Connolly and Priyansh Arya, which had put PBKS in complete control. PBKS was 185/2 in 13.5 overs.
The momentum shifted further in the very next over when Manimaran Siddharth struck a crucial blow, removing Priyansh Arya after a sensational 37-ball 93. PBKS was 187/3 in 14.2 overs.
PBKS suffered another setback as they lost their third wicket in quick succession, with left-arm pacer Mohsin Khan striking to dismiss skipper Shreyas Iyer for just five runs. PBKS was down 193/4 in 15.2 overs.
The wicket came at a crucial stage of the innings, halting Punjab's momentum after a strong start, as they slipped to 196/4 after 16 overs.
Manimaran Siddharth took his second wicket as he removed Nehal Wadhera for 13 runs. PBKS reached 214/5 in 17 overs, reaching a strong position.
In the 19th over, Marcus Stoinis and Shashank Singh added further momentum by smashing 20 runs, taking PBKS to 249/5.
However, the final over brought a slight collapse as PBKS managed only five runs while losing both set batters Shashank Singh (17* in six balls) and Marcus Stoinis (29* in 16 balls, with two fours and two sixes).
Despite the late setbacks, the hosts finished on a massive 254/7, the highest total of the season, overtaking Royal Challengers Bengaluru's 250/3 against Chennai Super Kings.
For Lucknow Super Giants, Manimaran Siddharth (2/35) and Prince Yadav (2/25) were the standout bowlers, finishing with two wickets each.
Brief Scores: PBKS: 254/7 (Priyansh Arya 93, Cooper Connolly 87, Prince Yadav 2/25) beat LSG: 200/5 (Rishabh Pant 43, Aiden Markram 42, Marco Jansen 2/37).
PBKS are at the top of the table, unbeaten, with five wins and a no result, giving them 11 points. LSG is at the eighth spot in the points table with two wins and four losses. PBKS raced to 254/7, with knocks from Priyansh (93 in 37 balls, with four boundaries and nine sixes) and Connolly (87 in 46 balls, with eight fours and seven sixes) taking them to such a big score. LSG had their moments, with a 61-run opening stand between Ayush Badoni (35 in 21 balls, with five fours and a six) and Mitchell Marsh (40 in 28 balls, with three fours and two sixes) and a counter-attack from Rishabh Pant (43 in 23 balls, with a four and four sixes), but it was not enough.
In the run-chase of 255 runs, LSG came out with an opening pair of Mitchell Marsh and Ayush Badoni, who got a promotion up the order. In the third over, the duo took down Arshdeep Singh with three fours.
In the next over, Badoni turned the aggressor as Xavier Bartlett was taken down for 15 runs in the fourth over.
In the fifth over, two back-to-back boundaries by Badoni against Marco Jansen helped LSG reach the 50-run mark in 4.4 overs.
A fine catch from Bartlett ended the 61-run stand between the duo, as Vijaykumar Vyshak removed Badoni for a 21-ball 35, with five fours and a six.
In the eighth over, skipper Rishabh Pant launched Jansen for a couple of sixes. LSG reached the 100-run mark in 9.4 overs and ended the 10 overs at 102/1 with Marsh (39*) and Pant (24*) unbeaten.
Spinner Yuzi Chahal removed Marsh for a 28-ball 40, with three fours and six in the 12th over. LSG was 109/1 in 11.1 overs. However, Rishabh continued his attack undeterred, smashing Chahal for back-to-back sixes in the same over.
Arshdeep managed to get Rishabh's prized scalp for a 23-ball 43, with four fours and four sixes, caught by Prabhsimran behind the stumps. LSG was 128/3 in 12.4 overs. Jansen continued Nicholas Pooran's poor run, removing him for a run-a-ball nine. LSG was 139/4 in 14.2 overs, and the match continued to slip away from them.
Aiden Markram, who came down the order this time, stitched a partnership with Mukul Choudhary, still not enough to get a win. LSG finished at 200/5, with Mukul (21* in 17 balls, with a four and six) and Himmat Singh (1*) unbeaten as Aiden Markram (42 in 22 balls, with three fours and three sixes) fell in the final over.
Jansen (2/37) was the pick of the bowlers for PBKS, while Vyshak, Chahal and Arshdeep got one apiece.
Earlier, PBKS produced a record-breaking batting display to post 254/7 against Lucknow Super Giants (LSG), powered by explosive knocks from Priyansh Arya (93 in 37 balls, with four boundaries and nine sixes) and Cooper Connolly (87 in 46 balls, with eight fours and seven sixes).
Despite losing wickets in clusters towards the end, PBKS dominated most of the innings with a blistering top-order assault that saw multiple partnerships flourish and several bowlers taken apart. The total marked the highest score of the season so far, setting up a massive challenge for the visitors in the run chase.
After being put in to bat, Punjab Kings endured a shaky start as in-form opener Prabhsimran Singh was dismissed for a golden duck, with Lucknow Super Giants pacer Mohammed Shami striking early in just the third delivery of the innings.
However, Priyansh Arya and Cooper Connolly steadied the innings, taking the score to 26/1 after three overs. The pair then shifted gears in the sixth over, smashing 20 runs off Mohsin Khan, helping Punjab Kings finish the powerplay on a strong note at 63/1. PBKS reached their 50-run mark in 5.4 overs.
During the second ball of the ninth over, Priyansh Arya brought up a brilliant half-century off just 19 deliveries, registering his second fifty of the season and the fourth of his IPL career. His knock had three fours and four sixes.
PBKS reached the 100-run mark in 8.5 overs.
By the end of the 10th over, Punjab Kings were firmly in control at 110/1, building a commanding position in the innings after a strong start at the top of the order.
In the following over, Cooper Connolly brought up his half-century off just 34 deliveries as PBKS continued their dominant batting display, racing to 129/1. His knock had five fours and four sixes.
The assault continued in the 12th over, with Priyansh Arya and Connolly collectively taking Avesh Khan to the cleaners, smashing 18 runs off the over to maintain the high scoring rate.
The duo then unleashed a brutal onslaught on off-spinner Aiden Markram, plundering 32 runs in the over, which included five towering sixes. Their aggressive batting powered Punjab Kings to a commanding 179/1 after 13 overs, firmly putting them in control of the innings.
32 runs conceded by Markram make it the most expensive over for an LSG bowler in the IPL, surpassing 27 by Ravi Bishnoi vs RCB in the 2022 Eliminator in Kolkata.
In the 14th over, pacer Prince Yadav finally broke the explosive partnership, dismissing dangerous Cooper Connolly for a blazing 46-ball 87, an innings laced with eight fours and seven towering sixes. His wicket also ended a massive 182-run stand for the second wicket between Connolly and Priyansh Arya, which had put PBKS in complete control. PBKS was 185/2 in 13.5 overs.
The momentum shifted further in the very next over when Manimaran Siddharth struck a crucial blow, removing Priyansh Arya after a sensational 37-ball 93. PBKS was 187/3 in 14.2 overs.
PBKS suffered another setback as they lost their third wicket in quick succession, with left-arm pacer Mohsin Khan striking to dismiss skipper Shreyas Iyer for just five runs. PBKS was down 193/4 in 15.2 overs.
The wicket came at a crucial stage of the innings, halting Punjab's momentum after a strong start, as they slipped to 196/4 after 16 overs.
Manimaran Siddharth took his second wicket as he removed Nehal Wadhera for 13 runs. PBKS reached 214/5 in 17 overs, reaching a strong position.
In the 19th over, Marcus Stoinis and Shashank Singh added further momentum by smashing 20 runs, taking PBKS to 249/5.
However, the final over brought a slight collapse as PBKS managed only five runs while losing both set batters Shashank Singh (17* in six balls) and Marcus Stoinis (29* in 16 balls, with two fours and two sixes).
Despite the late setbacks, the hosts finished on a massive 254/7, the highest total of the season, overtaking Royal Challengers Bengaluru's 250/3 against Chennai Super Kings.
For Lucknow Super Giants, Manimaran Siddharth (2/35) and Prince Yadav (2/25) were the standout bowlers, finishing with two wickets each.
Brief Scores: PBKS: 254/7 (Priyansh Arya 93, Cooper Connolly 87, Prince Yadav 2/25) beat LSG: 200/5 (Rishabh Pant 43, Aiden Markram 42, Marco Jansen 2/37).
