Kamal Ghorui
NEW DELHI: Mullanpur witnessed a run-fest on Sunday. It was Priyansh Arya and Cooper Connolly who lit up the venue with knocks of 93 and 87 respectively, smashing 16 sixes between them to power Punjab Kings to a commanding 54-run win over Lucknow Super Giants.Arya and Connolly stitched together a 182-run stand for the second wicket in just 13.2 overs, propelling PBKS to 254/7 – the highest total of this IPL season, surpassing Royal Challengers Bengaluru’s 250/3.In reply, LSG managed 200/5 in 20 overs, with skipper Rishabh Pant (43), opener Mitchell Marsh (40) and Aiden Markram (42) offering some resistance.Amid the run-fest, the match also featured a string of dropped catches that left the Punjab Kings camp – especially head coach Ricky Ponting – visibly frustrated. Shashank Singh endured a tough outing in the field, dropping three catches.One of the key moments came in the 18th over off Arshdeep Singh, when Markram lofted a shot towards covers. Shashank had a clear chance but appeared casual, and the ball sailed over to the boundary cushion for a six. Arshdeep looked visibly unhappy, while Ponting, when shown on camera, appeared both stunned and furious at the lapse.After the match, as Punjab Kings celebrated the win, captain Shreyas Iyer shared a light moment with Shashank – hugging him and even playfully covering his face with a cap, seemingly shielding him from Ponting’s glare.Later, Ponting was also seen sharing a hug with Shashank, putting the moment behind them.Punjab Kings, runners-up in IPL 2025, now sit at the top of the points table with five wins in six matches. Punjab Kings have 11 points with a net run rate of +1.420.
