Cricket

“Priyansh just plays his own way”: Coach Ricky Ponting

“Priyansh just plays his own way”: Coach Ricky Ponting hails young opener’s clinical knock against Lucknow

New Chandigarh, April 20, 2026: Punjab Kings (PBKS) continued their dominant run in the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2026 on Sunday with a clinical 54-run victory over Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) at the New International Cricket Stadium, New Chandigarh. In addition to the victory, the Kings reached a significant milestone, becoming the first team in the 19-year history of the Indian Premier League (IPL) to remain undefeated through their opening six matches of a season.

The win was built on a season-high total of 254/7, the highest score of the 2026 edition, after the Kings were asked to bat first for the first time this year. The foundation was a record-breaking 182-run partnership for the second wicket between Priyansh Arya and Cooper Connolly. Priyansh was the aggressor, smashing a breathtaking 93 off just 37 deliveries, including nine sixes, while Connolly anchored the innings with a fluent 87 off 46.

Speaking after the game, Priyansh Arya highlighted the simplicity of his approach. "I was thinking that I will respect a good ball and take a single or double. And whatever is on my radar, I'll go for boundaries. That's what I was looking for,"