Former India batter Manoj Tiwary feels Punjab Kings’ Priyansh Arya must address his vulnerability to short-pitched bowling, a concern that was highlighted again when he was dismissed for a golden duck during Punjab Kings’ IPL 2026 clash against Lucknow Super Giants on Saturday. Arya struggled against a sharp short-ball from Mohammed Shami, and the delivery resulted in a catch taken at mid-wicket, ending his innings without scoring.
Tiwary noted that this kind of approach has been a recurring theme against Arya, with multiple fast bowlers using the short ball as an effective plan. He also pointed out that the dismissal was Arya’s second straight duck in the competition, following a scoreless outing against Royal Challengers Bengaluru.
The former cricketer advised Arya to take guidance from experienced voices and to work closely with the Punjab Kings’ support staff to refine his batting. Tiwary stressed the importance of identifying and correcting recurring errors rather than simply accepting dismissals as part of the game. “I think he should listen to us. If you are not working on your previous mistakes then it will keep repeating, and that signals that the player does not want to learn. There is a solution to every weakness, but how much do you want to find out that solution, and who do you approach for that, that is very important. Everyone will say it happens and all that, and before you know, it 5-6 matches are gone, and no one will go into the details,” Tiwary said.
He added that Arya should seek help from senior players who can properly diagnose what is going wrong. “My advice for him would be that Ricky Ponting, or any other senior player, who have knowledge, help him identify the issue, improve his game, and guide him, because there is no lack of talent,” Tiwary said.
In the same match, Punjab Kings captain Shreyas Iyer was delighted after steering his team to victory with a dominant, unbeaten hundred. The knock helped PBKS secure a seven-wicket win over Lucknow Super Giants at the Ekana Stadium on Saturday night, and Iyer was named Player of the Match.
Iyer described the triumph as especially meaningful because it arrived after a tough stretch in which Punjab Kings suffered six consecutive defeats. While compiling his outstanding 100 not out, the right-handed batter also reached a major T20 landmark, completing 7,000 runs in the format.
“Ecstatic, first hundred of the season, we won eventually after six consecutive losses. Support MI tomorrow,” Iyer said.
