Punjab Kings are rolling through this IPL season, winning five of their opening six matches so far. Their clash against Kolkata Knight Riders didn’t get a result due to rain. On Sunday, Shreyas Iyer and his side kept their unbeaten momentum going with a commanding 54-run win over Lucknow Super Giants. Batting first at Mullanpur, PBKS posted a huge 254/7 in 20 overs—the highest team total of the campaign—before restricting LSG to 200/5 in reply.
Key takeaways
- PBKS have won five of their first six IPL matches and remain unbeaten after the latest outing.
- A PBKS vs Kolkata Knight Riders game was washed out because of rain, with no result.
- In the win over Lucknow, Punjab registered 254/7 at Mullanpur, the tournament’s top team score so far.
- Lucknow managed 200/5 in their chase, falling 54 runs short of the target.
- A post-match clip showed Preity Zinta hugging Arshdeep Singh, sparking a playful dance reaction from the pacer.
PBKS’ record total powers a 54-run win
Punjab Kings delivered a statement performance against Lucknow Super Giants. After being put in to bat, PBKS piled up 254/7 in their 20 overs at the venue in Mullanpur, setting the mark as the highest team score of the season. Lucknow, chasing the target, tried to stay in the contest but were consistently kept under check and ended with 200/5, unable to bridge the gap.
Zinta-Arshdeep moment delights fans after the match
While the cricketing conversation focused on the record total and the comfortable margin, social media also turned its attention to a heartwarming moment involving PBKS co-owner Preity Zinta. A video from the aftermath circulated widely, capturing Zinta sharing a warm hug with pacer Arshdeep Singh. The exchange immediately triggered a burst of joy from Arshdeep, who then broke into a dance, leaving both Zinta and the fans around in splits. Lucknow pacer Mohammed Shami, watching on, couldn’t hide his smile as well.
Zinta—who is also a prominent Bollywood figure—has regularly been praised for her down-to-earth attitude and for acting as a steady source of support for PBKS players throughout the tournament.
Connolly and Arya: the partnership at the heart of PBKS’ innings
Punjab’s triumph over Lucknow was driven by a match-defining stand that featured Priyansh Arya and Cooper Connolly. Connolly acknowledged that his own start didn’t come smoothly, but he described it as “super exciting” to watch Arya at the other end. He explained that he spent a brief period in the middle feeling slightly uneasy, particularly because Arya wasn’t saying much while he was settling in.
Connolly also reflected that even though he initially struggled to find rhythm, Arya was already in commanding form. Arya raced to a 19-ball half-century and kept striking with bold, fearless intent, which helped PBKS maintain a high run rate. As Connolly gradually came into his own, the pressure eased only slightly for the LSG bowlers, but Punjab’s overall momentum remained firmly intact thanks to Arya’s dominance earlier in the innings.
Connolly further underlined Arya’s influence during their second-wicket partnership, which reached 182 runs. He said spending time in the middle with Arya was a positive experience and added that he was excited about what the young opener could deliver for the rest of the competition.
