“Muskuraiye, aap Lucknow mein hain” is the line many associate with the City of Nawabs—but Punjab Kings speedster Arshdeep Singh turned the slogan into a post-match joke after his side overwhelmed Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) in the IPL 2026 on Sunday. In a reel shared from Mullanpur, New Chandigarh, Arshdeep delivered the twist: “Ghabraiye, aap Mullanpur mein hain,” after Punjab secured a convincing win.
Punjab’s statement performance at the top of the table
Punjab Kings carried their momentum into the contest and finished with a 54-run victory over LSG. The biggest driver of the result was a second-wicket surge worth 182 runs, built between Priyansh Arya and Cooper Connolly in the first innings. That partnership set the game out of Lucknow’s reach before the chase even began.
- Punjab Kings won by 54 runs.
- They reached 254/7 in their 20 overs.
- LSG managed 200/5 in response.
- Punjab’s 182-run stand for the second wicket effectively swung the match early.
Connolly and Arya power Punjab to 254/7
Connolly, widely viewed as one of Australia’s most exciting emerging batters, provided the backbone for Punjab’s innings. He arrived and settled quickly, then accelerated in the middle. Arya offered strong support, and together they turned a competitive start into a scoreboard-defining platform.
- Priyansh Arya contributed a fifty off 19 balls.
- Connolly smashed 87 off 45 balls.
- PUNJAB Kings finished on 254 for 7 in 20 overs.
There were also clear momentum swings during the innings. Connolly struck Aiden Markram for three successive sixes, and Arya followed up by sending two more balls over the ropes in the same over. That sequence produced 32 runs in the over, underlining how quickly Punjab’s total started to look out of reach.
Lucknow fall short despite starts from Marsh, Pant and Markram
LSG did not get the kind of sustained partnerships needed in a chase of 255. While Mitchell Marsh and Ayush Badoni gave the innings early direction—scoring 40 and 35 respectively—Rishabh Pant added 43. Aiden Markram also showed grit with a valiant 22-ball 42. However, wickets continued to fall at regular intervals, and the required run-rate stayed elevated enough to keep Lucknow behind.
- Mitchell Marsh: 40.
- Ayush Badoni: 35.
- Rishabh Pant: 43.
- Aiden Markram: 42 off 22 balls.
- LSG ended at 200/5, losing their third match in a row.
Lucknow’s defensive effort had brief flashes too, but Punjab’s fielding and pressure combined at key moments. Despite a few dropped chances from Punjab fielders, the chase never developed into the kind of match-turning rhythm LSG required.
Table position, early drama, and the turning point
Before the chase fully unfolded, Lucknow had a moment of luck. Connolly, on four, survived an lbw appeal from Mohsin Khan after Pant chose not to review. Replays indicated the ball would have gone on to hit the stumps—an early near-miss that allowed Connolly to stay in and ultimately build a match-defining innings. After that reprieve, Connolly went on to add 182 runs in partnership with Arya.
- Connolly survived an lbw call on four when Pant did not review.
- Replays suggested the delivery would have hit the stumps.
- Connolly and Arya then combined for 182 runs for the second wicket.
With this result, Punjab Kings strengthened their position at the top. They are now placed first in the table with five wins and one no result from six matches. Meanwhile, Lucknow are still searching for consistency, having lost their third match straight and falling again despite multiple individual contributions.
