Sanjiv Goenka, the Lucknow Super Giants co-owner, and Preity Zinta, who represents Punjab Kings, are among the IPL’s most recognisable franchise faces, frequently seen in the stands as their teams play. Their most recent public appearance arrived during Sunday night’s match at the PCA Stadium in Mullanpur, where Punjab Kings overpowered Lucknow Super Giants. After the final whistle, both owners spent brief moments mixing with players in the post-match atmosphere. Goenka, who has often been spotted speaking with his team’s support staff and captains over the years—including earlier chats involving KL Rahul and, more recently, Rishabh Pant—was again noticeable after LSG’s loss.
Coming off a 54-run defeat, Goenka was seen conversing with Punjab Kings batter Priyansh Arya, who has been in fine touch. Arya struck a sensational 93 off just 37 deliveries, punishing the bowling attack and setting the tone for Punjab’s dominance. Meanwhile, LSG captain Rishabh Pant was also engaged in a separate exchange, speaking with Punjab Kings co-owner Preity Zinta. Pant was part of a small group that included Yuzvendra Chahal and Shashank Singh, as they traded a few words with Zinta in a relaxed setting after the match.
On the field, Punjab Kings produced a commanding display to extend an impressive stretch at the start of the season. They notched up their fifth victory in six matches, moving back to the top of the points table. Arya’s explosive innings set the platform, Cooper Connolly provided useful support, and contributions in the latter stages from Shashank Singh and Marcus Stoinis helped PBKS post a massive total of 254. Lucknow Super Giants, however, were unable to find answers to the challenge, and after struggling to build consistent rhythm throughout the campaign, they suffered a third straight defeat.
The 54-run margin underscored LSG’s continuing concerns as they look for an immediate response. With momentum slipping, the side now needs to regroup quickly, find a stronger balance in their performances, and halt the downward trend before the season moves further on.
