Punjab Kings stayed unbeaten in IPL 2026 after beating LSG by 54 runs, with a stunning 182-run partnership between Priyansh Arya and Cooper Connolly leading the charge.
Published: April 20, 2026 7:17 PM IST
IPL 2026: Punjab Kings extended winning momentum in IPL 2026 with a convincing 54-run victory over Lucknow Super Giants at the New International Cricket Stadium in New Chandigarh on Sunday. The win also saw them make history as they became the first side in the IPL’s 19-year history to remain unbeaten in their opening six matches of a season.
Punjab Kings batter Priyansh Arya and Cooper Connolly registered a record-breaking 182-run partnership for the second wicket. Young sensation Priyansh played a breathtaking knock of 93 off just 37 deliveries, including nine sixes, while Connolly complimented from the other end with fluent 87 off 46.
Priyansh Arya spoke about his explosive knock vs LSG
After the match, Priyansh Arya spoke about keeping his approach simple and sticking to the basics throughout the game. “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,” Priyansh said on ‘Dressing Room Diaries.’
Cooper Connolly, who played a steady supporting role during the blitz, acknowledged that he often found himself just watching the carnage unfold from the other end. “I was at the other end just in awe a little bit because I couldn’t get off strike, but yeah, I was just enjoying watching Priyansh bat. We all have discussions about what works for each other, and we take little things out of each other’s books to get better as a group,”
Captain Shreyas Iyer showered praise on the young duo and said that he was proud of the calmness shown by the young duo. He also shared that there is a fun, light-hearted reward system within the squad to keep the team motivated.
“Absolutely brilliant batting. Some of the shots were just incredible. It takes a lot of courage and concentration to play shots like those. I was talking to Cooper and Priyansh, and we were challenging them to see who could hit the most sixes this season. The prize? They’ll get my bat! I hope it brings some joy and motivation. They are constantly putting in the effort, and we just tell them to go out there and express themselves,” Iyer said.
Ricky Ponting praised the group’s consistency
Punjab Kings head coach Ricky Ponting praised the group’s consistency and reminded them that their current form has turned them into a tough side to beat.
“Knowing that if we do things somewhere near our best, you’re going to be a bloody hard team to beat. Priyansh just decided to go ahead and play his own way, regardless of what happened at the other end. One of the values and standards we have as a group—and the number one on the top of our list—is team first. This has probably been our biggest victory,” Ponting said in the on ‘Dressing Room Diaries.’
Punjab Kings will face Delhi Capitals in next IPL 2026 match at the Arun Jaitley Stadium on April 25.
