Punjab Kings opener Priyansh Arya scripted a slice of IPL history on Monday, delivering the sort of start that can swing a T20 contest before the middle overs even begin. In the clash against Delhi Capitals, Arya launched the very first delivery he faced from Mitchell Starc for a towering six—an impact that echoed across the record books just as much as it did across the boundary rope.
Priyansh Arya’s first-ball magic
Arya’s opening assault was not just a highlight of the innings; it was a rare occurrence in IPL terms. He became the only batter in league history to strike a six off the first ball of a match twice.
- In this game, Arya smashed Starc’s opening ball for six.
- The earlier time he achieved the same feat was in IPL 2025 versus Chennai Super Kings, when he hit Khaleel Ahmed for a six on the first delivery.
- Players such as Naman Ojha, Virat Kohli, Phil Salt and Yashasvi Jaiswal have also done it, but each has managed the first-ball six only once.
The accomplishment also lifted Arya into another narrow bracket: it was his third instance of sending the first ball of an IPL innings over the ropes—one behind the all-time benchmark held by Yashasvi Jaiswal, who has four such strikes.
Powerplay momentum and Delhi’s chase
Arya’s quickfire trend extended beyond the first-ball moment. He also joined an exclusive club by becoming the second Indian batter to reach a half-century during the powerplay on at least three separate occasions. The other player to do so was the 15-year-old sensation Vaibhav Sooryavanshi.
Despite Arya’s early fireworks, Punjab Kings still had to defend a total they set themselves. Delhi Capitals, led by skipper Axar Patel and powered by David Miller, edged the match by three wickets to keep their playoff chances alive.
Punjab Kings’ innings: 210 for five
Punjab were sent in first and made a strong start through the opening pair. Arya and Prabhsimran Singh put on 78 runs off 41 balls for the first wicket.
- Priyansh Arya: 56 off 33 balls.
- Prabhsimran Singh: 18 runs.
After the early stand ended, Shreyas Iyer took control in the middle overs with a disciplined finish, remaining unbeaten. Cooper Connolly also contributed with a brisk cameo as PBKS built to a competitive score.
- Shreyas Iyer: 59 not out (off 36).
- Cooper Connolly: 38 (off 27).
When the innings closed, Punjab Kings posted 210 for five.
Delhi Capitals’ response: Axar and Miller lead the turnaround
Chasing 211, Delhi Capitals had a shaky spell early, slipping to 74 for four. But Axar Patel and David Miller changed the tone of the chase with a partnership that steadied the innings and pushed it back into Punjab’s half of the contest.
- Axar Patel: 56.
- David Miller: 51.
With the chase back on track, Ashutosh Sharma and Madhav Tiwari helped see it over the line as DC finished at 216 for seven in 19 overs.
Key bowling and match details
Mitchell Starc and Madhav Tiwari were among the wickets for Delhi, while Punjab’s bowlers also managed key breakthroughs in their spell after the innings.
- Mitchell Starc (DC): 2/57.
- Madhav Tiwari (DC): 2/40.
- Arshdeep Singh (PBKS): 2/21.
- Ben Dwarshuis (PBKS): 1/51.
- Marcus Stoinis (PBKS): 1/44.
Delhi Capitals ultimately won by three wickets, making Arya’s record-breaking start memorable—but not enough to stop the visitors from completing the chase.
