Mullanpur played host to a high-scoring spectacle on Sunday, with Priyansh Arya and Cooper Connolly stealing the show for Punjab Kings. Together they struck 93 and 87, blasting 16 sixes between them to set up a decisive 54-run victory over Lucknow Super Giants.
Quick facts
- Venue: Mullanpur
- Punjab Kings won by 54 runs
- Priyansh Arya: 93 (struck 16 sixes alongside Connolly)
- Cooper Connolly: 87
- Second-wicket stand: 182 runs in 13.2 overs
- Punjab Kings total: 254/7 (highest score of the IPL season)
- Lucknow Super Giants reply: 200/5 in 20 overs
- Key Lucknow scores: Rishabh Pant 43, Mitchell Marsh 40, Aiden Markram 42
- Notable fielding lapses: three dropped catches by Shashank Singh
- Points table impact: Punjab Kings top with five wins from six; 11 points, NRR +1.420
Arya and Connolly tore into the bowling in the early middle phase, forging a 182-run partnership for the second wicket in just 13.2 overs. That momentum carried Punjab Kings to 254/7, a season-best total that edged past Royal Challengers Bengaluru’s 250/3.
Lucknow’s chase never fully gathered pace, ending at 200/5 from their 20 overs. Skipper Rishabh Pant made 43, Mitchell Marsh contributed 40, and Aiden Markram struck 42, but it wasn’t enough to bridge the gap created by Punjab’s explosive start.
Missed chances swing the mood
For all the batting fireworks, the innings also came with a troubling pattern of dropped opportunities. The Punjab Kings dugout—head coach Ricky Ponting included—looked visibly frustrated as chances were put down at crucial moments, with Shashank Singh taking the brunt of criticism after handing over three catches in the field.
One of the most discussed incidents arrived in the 18th over off Arshdeep Singh. Markram lofted a ball towards covers, and Shashank appeared to have a clear chance, but the catch was not taken cleanly. The ball instead reached the boundary cushion for six, leaving Arshdeep visibly upset and Ponting looking stunned and furious on camera.
After the final whistle, the celebration brought a shift in tone. While Punjab Kings marked the win, captain Shreyas Iyer shared a light-hearted moment with Shashank—hugging him and even playfully covering his face with a cap, as if shielding him from Ponting’s glare.
That reconciliation continued later, with Ponting also seen embracing Shashank, suggesting the matter had been put behind them despite the earlier disappointment.
With the result in hand, Punjab Kings—runners-up in IPL 2025—moved to the top of the points table. They now have five wins from six matches, sitting on 11 points with a net run rate of +1.420.
