Priyansh Arya and Cooper Connolly starred for the Punjab Kings as they outscored the Lucknow Super Giants in a high scoring Tata IPL clash, eventually securing a comfortable 54-run win at the Maharaja Yadavindra Singh International Cricket Stadium in New Chandigarh on Sunday night.
Opener Arya was in scintillating form as he smashed his way to 93 off 37 balls, launching nine sixes and four fours, while Connolly took a while to get going before cracking seven sixes and eight fours in his 46-ball 87, that helped Punjab to a monster 254-7 batting first.
In response the Super Giants just couldn’t keep up with the massive asking rate, despite a few decent efforts, as they fell way short on 200-5 in their 20, with Marco Jansen the pick of the Punjab bowlers with figures of 2-37 in his four overs.
𝙋𝙇𝘼𝙔. 𝘿𝙊𝙈𝙄𝙉𝘼𝙏𝙀. 𝙒𝙄𝙉. 𝙍𝙀𝙋𝙀𝘼𝙏. 🔄
— IndianPremierLeague (@IPL) April 19, 2026
A brilliant 5️⃣4️⃣-run victory as #PBKS keep their perfect record intact ❤️
MATCH HIGHLIGHTS ▶️ https://t.co/agQBpLAaGa#TATAIPL | #KhelBindaas | #PBKSvLSG pic.twitter.com/qHN5AKYfDh
For the Super Giants, captain Rishahb Pant, 43 off 23 (1x4; 4x6), and Aiden Markram, 42 off 22 (3x4; 3x6), produced the best batting performances, while Mitchell Marsh, 40 off 28 (3x4; 2x6), and Ayush Badoni, 35 off 21 (5x4; 1x6), also did decently, but none were as explosive as Arya or Connolly.
Earlier in the match the Punjab innings got off to a poor start as dangerous opener Prabhsimran Singh edged his first ball from Mohammed Shami to Marsh at first slip for a first-ball duck in the first over, leaving them on 3-1.
But Priyansh then took charge as he took them to 63-1 by the end of the powerplay, with Connolly struggling at that stage on 19 off 22 balls.
19-ball FIFTY!!! 🤯
— IndianPremierLeague (@IPL) April 19, 2026
Priyansh Arya’s bat breathing fire in New Chandigarh 🔥🔥
Updates ▶️ https://t.co/u5eUR1eqdA#TATAIPL | #KhelBindaas | #PBKSvLSG | @PunjabKingsIPL pic.twitter.com/cshMqA3Yfn
But after the powerplay the two kicked on to a monster 182-run partnership off just 80 balls, as Arya continued his assault, reaching a 19-ball half century, while Connolly started opening up, including hitting three consecutive sixes off Markram’s only over that went for 32 runs.
Both batters looked well on for centuries, but then fell within three balls, as Prince Yadav made the huge breakthrough having Connolly caught by Manimaran Siddharth at short third, followed by Arya hitting Siddharth to Marsh on the boundary at long off, with the score 187-3 in the 15th over.
Holding the innings together the right way 👊
— IndianPremierLeague (@IPL) April 19, 2026
A perfectly constructed fifty from Cooper Connolly 👏
Updates ▶️ https://t.co/u5eUR1eqdA#TATAIPL | #KhelBindaas | #PBKSvLSG pic.twitter.com/NRhX6iwfrb
Down the back end Marcus Stoinis, 29 off 16 (2x4; 2x6), Nehal Wadhera, 13 off seven (1x4; 1x6), and Shashank Singh, 17 off six (1x4; 2x6), continued the carnage powering them past 200 and 250.
Yadav was the sole Super Giants bowler to emerge with decent figures, picking up 2-25 in his four overs.
PUNJAB KINGS: Prabhsimran Singh (wk), Priyansh Arya, Cooper Connolly, Shreyas Iyer (capt), Nehal Wadhera, Shashank Singh, Marcus Stoinis, Marco Jansen, Xavier Bartlett, Arshdeep Singh, Yuzvendra Chahal
LUCKNOW SUPER GIANTS: Mitchell Marsh, Ayush Badoni, Rishabh Pant (capt, wk), Aiden Markram, Nicholas Pooran, Mukul Choudhary, Mohammed Shami, Avesh Khan, Prince Yadav, Manimaran Siddharth, Mohsin Khan