NEW DELHI: Priyansh Arya and Cooper Connolly set Mullanpur on fire with a jaw-dropping six-hitting show. Blazing knocks from Arya (93 off 37 balls) and Connolly (87 off 46) – followed by a clinical bowling effort – powered Punjab Kings to a commanding 54-run win over Lucknow Super Giants in their IPL 2026 clash on Sunday. With this victory, PBKS surged to the top of the points table.PBKS defend 254 to extend dominanceAt the Maharaja Yadavindra Singh International Cricket Stadium, PBKS successfully defended a season-high 254/7 by restricting LSG to 200/5. The win extended Punjab’s unbeaten run, while LSG slumped to their third consecutive defeat, dropping to eighth place.182-run stand breaks LSG’s backArya and Connolly stitched together a breathtaking 182-run partnership for the second wicket, dismantling LSG’s bowling attack and powering PBKS to the highest total of the season. Arya smashed four boundaries and nine sixes, while Connolly complemented him with eight fours and seven sixes in a relentless display of modern T20 hitting.Despite losing a few wickets towards the end, the duo’s efforts ensured PBKS crossed the 250-mark with ease. For LSG, Prince Yadav stood out with figures of 2/25, while the rest of the attack leaked 226 runs in 16 overs.Early blow, then Arya’s counterattackOpting to bowl first, Mohammed Shami gave LSG the perfect start by dismissing Prabhsimran Singh for a duck with a wobble-seam delivery. But Arya immediately counterattacked, launching Mohsin Khan for a towering six over mid-wicket.While Connolly struggled early (19 off 22 balls), Arya kept the scoreboard ticking at a furious pace, reaching his fifty in just 19 balls. Connolly soon found his rhythm, bringing up a 35-ball half-century.Brutal assault on Markram shifts momentumThe duo saved their most destructive phase for Aiden Markram, hammering 32 runs in the 13th over, including five sixes. The breakthrough eventually came when Prince Yadav induced a top edge from Connolly, ending his innings at 87.Arya looked set for a century but fell seven runs short, caught at long-off by Mitchell Marsh off Manimaran Siddharth. A brief middle-order wobble followed as Shreyas Iyer and Nehal Wadhera departed in quick succession.Late fireworks take PBKS past 250However, the momentum stayed with PBKS as Marcus Stoinis (29 off 16) and Shashank Singh (17 off 6) provided a late flourish. Shashank smashed 20 runs off Shami’s final over to push the total beyond 250, before Stoinis was run out off the last ball.LSG’s chase falters after steady startLSG’s experiment of opening with Ayush Badoni and Mitchell Marsh showed early promise, with the pair adding 61 runs. But the stand failed to provide the ideal launchpad, as Vijaykumar Vyshak broke through by deceiving Badoni with a slower delivery at the end of the powerplay.Pant’s effort in vain as PBKS tighten gripMarsh and Rishabh Pant tried to revive the chase, with Pant smashing back-to-back sixes off Marco Jansen. However, Yuzvendra Chahal applied the brakes and dismissed Marsh, tightening PBKS’ grip.Pant continued his counterattack with consecutive sixes off Chahal but fell for a quick 43, edging Arshdeep Singh behind – a decision confirmed by UltraEdge.Pooran falls, result never in doubtThe chase effectively ended when Nicholas Pooran fell cheaply for nine, mistiming a knuckleball from Jansen. Late resistance from Markram (42) and Mukul Choudhary (21*) — aided by a few dropped catches — only delayed the inevitable as PBKS sealed a dominant win.
