PBKS vs LSG: Priyansh Arya, Connolly headline Mullanpur rout of Lucknow with 182-run stand
The Punjab Kings power-hitting duo of Priyansh Arya and Cooper Connolly fell short of well-deserved hundreds but stitched together a record 182-run stand for the second wicket to take the game away from the Lucknow Super Giants in their IPL 2026 clash in Mullanpur on Sunday.
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Punjab were briefly rocked at the start when Mohammed Shami removed Prabhsimran Singh for a golden duck in the opening over. For a moment, it appeared Lucknow might get early control on a surface that offered a hint of movement. That hope did not last long. Arya and Connolly quickly settled, and once they did, the contest began to slip away from the visitors.
The left-handed pair of Priyansh Arya and Cooper Connolly took Punjab Kings to 63 for 1 at the end of the powerplay. They kept the pressure on after that, adding 28 runs in the next two overs as Lucknow Super Giants struggled to pull things back. Ayush Badoni was brought in to bowl to the two left-handers, but Connolly hit a four and a six off his first two balls. Avesh Khan was also taken on, with Punjab continuing to score freely.
Arya’s innings stood out for the control he showed amid the aggression. Against Manimaran Siddharth, with fielders spread on the leg side, he adjusted his shape to paddle fine for four, a small moment that reflected his awareness. His 19-ball half-century, his second of the season, set the tone for what followed.
Connolly kept pace without forcing the issue. He rotated strike, found gaps, and punished anything loose. His fifty came off 35 balls as Punjab moved to 129 for 1 in 11 overs. By then, Lucknow were already chasing the game. The six-hitting was relentless. Punjab had struck 16 sixes in the first 13 overs, nine of them from Arya, as the partnership swelled to 176 and the score raced to 179 for 1.
The pressure showed in the middle overs. Between overs 11 and 13, six more sixes were struck, including a 32-run over off Aiden Markram. Every change in bowling was met with the same response. There was no phase where Lucknow could slow things down.
Arya drove the innings with a knock that combined range with authority. His 93 off 36 balls included four fours and nine sixes, and he scored freely against pace and spin alike. He forced constant field changes and kept the bowlers searching for answers.
Connolly’s 87 off 45 balls ensured there was no dip at the other end. He struck eight fours and seven sixes, building the innings alongside Arya rather than playing second fiddle. The partnership crossed fifty in just 31 balls and kept growing without interruption.
There were brief signs of control early in the innings, with Prince Yadav keeping things tight in his opening spell. But once Arya began to target Mohsin Khan, pulling him for multiple sixes, the momentum shifted fully in Punjab’s favour.
Lucknow eventually found a way back after the 14th over. Connolly fell for 87, and Arya followed soon after for 93, both missing out on hundreds that had looked certain. Shreyas Iyer was also dismissed as Punjab slipped from 179 for 1 to 193 for 4 in the 16th over.
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