Chandigarh, Apr 8 (UNI) Punjab Kings rode on a sensational century by uncapped IPL player Priyansh Arya to post a commanding 219 for 6 against Chennai Super Kings in the 22nd IPL 2025 clash here on Tuesday.
After skipper Shreyas Iyer won the toss and elected to bat, it was the 24-year-old Priyansh who lit up the innings with a breathtaking 103 off just 42 balls, studded with 7 fours and 9 sixes at a staggering strike rate of 245.24.
Priyansh played with maturity beyond his years, launching a ferocious counter-attack even as wickets tumbled at the other end.
Punjab’s innings got off to a wobbly start, losing Prabhsimran Singh for a duck to Mukesh Choudhary in the second over. Captain Iyer (9) and Marcus Stoinis (4) departed in quick succession, both falling to Khaleel Ahmed, leaving PBKS at 54 for 3.
Nehal Wadhera (9) and Glenn Maxwell (1) failed to convert their starts, both falling to veteran off-spinner Ravichandran Ashwin, but Priyansh stood tall amidst the collapse.
He found a valuable partner in Shashank Singh, who remained unbeaten on 52 off 36 balls (3 fours, 2 sixes), helping Punjab recover from 83 for 5.
Together, Priyansh and Shashank stitched a crucial 71-run partnership for the sixth wicket. After Priyansh’s dismissal in the 14th over, caught by Vijay Shankar off Noor Ahmad—Marco Jansen provided the finishing flourish with an unbeaten 34 off 19 balls, striking 2 sixes and 2 fours.
For CSK, Ashwin returned figures of 2 for 48, while Khaleel also picked up two wickets for 45 runs. Noor Ahmad and Mukesh claimed one wicket each, but the Chennai bowlers were put under severe pressure throughout the innings.
Punjab’s powerplay yielded a hefty 75 runs, setting the tone for the explosive total.
Chennai now face a daunting target of 220 under the lights, with the surface expected to play true.
