{"_id":"6a11f684f0943e2d6a0b54db","slug":"ipl-2026-lsg-vs-pbks-shreyas-iyer-hits-century-against-lucknow-made-partnership-record-with-prabhsimran-singh-2026-05-24","type":"feature-story","status":"publish","title_hn":"श्रेयस का तूफान: 11 चौके, 5 छक्के जड़कर बनाया शतक; पंजाब की जीत के हीरो…
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यहां से मार्कस स्टोइनिस ने सूर्यांश शेडगे के साथ 44 गेंदों में 79 रन की…
Marcus Stoinis’ stunning 22-ball 62 (not out) went in vain on Tuesday night as Punjab Kings failed to defend a 222-run total against Rajasthan Royals at the Maharaja Yadavindra Singh International Stadium.
Stoinis’ knock came at the back end of the innings and, although it lifted the home side to a competitive total, it wasn’t enough to shut the Royals out as they chased it down with four balls to spare and six wickets in hand.
A couple of days earlier, PBKS had done something similar, registering a record T20 chase of 265 against Delhi Capitals.
A common factor in this IPL season’s wins has been PowerPlay performances. The Royals scored 84 for one in the first overs in reply to the Kings’ 65 for one. Similarly, DC had managed 68 for one against PBKS, which finished the fielding restrictions after scoring 116 runs without loss.
PowerPlay overs have decided 73.68 per cent of matches this season.
“Over the years, teams have realised how important the PowerPlay is: only two fielders outside, six overs to maximise. So naturally, there’s more focus on that phase now,” RR fast bowler Sandeep Sharma said.
There has been a steady rise in batters targeting the boundaries in the PowerPlay, with run rates climbing from 7.7 in the inaugural season to 8.42 in 2018, and now 9.9 this season.
“What we’re seeing is a trend across the tournament – how dominant teams are in the first six overs. It’s very hard to stop sides now with the way they’re playing in the PowerPlay. You’ve also got the replacement player rule, which allows you to stack your batting and go even harder,” PBKS assistant coach Brad Haddin said.
A look at the points table also reflects which teams have embraced this approach of setting up, or even finishing, games early. Punjab, Royal Challengers Bengaluru, Sunrisers Hyderabad, and Rajasthan, the current top four, also boast the best returns from their top three batters, especially the openers.
For PBKS, Prabhsimran Singh and Priyansh Arya have scored at a strike rate of 205.55, followed by Royals openers Yashasvi Jaiswal and Vaibhav Sooryavanshi at 195.56. SRH’s Abhishek Sharma and Travis Head are at 183.17, while RCB’s Virat Kohli and Phil Salt/Jacob Bethell have struck at 164.42.
Winning the PowerPlay isn’t a guarantee, but it gives the batting side a significant advantage for the rest of the innings. DC openers, for instance, have a higher strike rate (172.35) than RCB’s. But with the rest of Bengaluru’s lineup sustaining the pressure, it has translated into results, while the Capitals remain in the bottom half.
The relentless pressure from ball one has made 200-plus totals par, even if they don’t guarantee wins. Openers are expected to score at a minimum of 10 an over, and the rest of the batting order must maintain a similar tempo.
Teams are no longer building towards a late surge. The first six overs are now played with almost the same boundary-hitting intensity (26.11%) as the final four overs (24.12%).
“I don’t think there is a thing called finishers anymore. It’s right from ball one – everyone is going at a rate of knots,” Chennai Super Kings coach Stephen Fleming had said earlier this season. “It’s not a build-up to the 16th over and then going harder. Everyone is going hard from ball one. Run rates of 10, 11, 12 throughout are expected. You’re not really getting the big peaks at the end, it’s just a more aggressive approach to get 240.”
Table-topper Punjab has been the most successful in executing this approach. While the top three score at over 12 an over, numbers four and five go at 11.1, and the lower middle order (6-8) at 10.81.
“If you look at the way we’ve played, our top order has been super dynamic. They’ve set up games and created opportunities,” Haddin said.
“But what the rest have done is contribute in roles that win matches. It might not be a 70 or 80 – it could be 15 off six balls to give us momentum. At the moment, they’re doing everything the game requires.”
Sandeep, however, believes finishers remain vital, especially over a long tournament.
“I don’t think the importance of finishers has reduced at all. Teams with strong finishers still have a great chance. If you look at the past, Chennai had Mahi bhai (MS Dhoni), Mumbai had Hardik Pandya and Kieron Pollard, and KKR had Andre Russell. Teams with strong players at 5, 6, and 7 tend to go far. That’s where the bulk of pressure lies. The top three don’t carry as much pressure – if they get out playing positively, it’s accepted. But 5-6-7 is a crucial phase,” he said.
This season has still produced instances of lower-order influence, such as Rinku Singh’s effort in Kolkata Knight Riders’ Super Over win against Lucknow Super Giants, but those moments are becoming rarer in a league where the PowerPlay is fast becoming the new death overs, and openers the new finishers.
Published on Apr 29, 2026
Marcus Stoinis’ stunning 22-ball 62 (not out) went in vain on Tuesday night as Punjab Kings failed to defend a 222-run total against Rajasthan Royals at the Maharaja Yadavindra Singh International Stadium.
Stoinis’ knock came at the back end of the innings and, although it lifted the home side to a competitive total, it wasn’t enough to shut the Royals out as they chased it down with four balls to spare and six wickets in hand.
A couple of days earlier, PBKS had done something similar, registering a record T20 chase of 265 against Delhi Capitals.
A common factor in this IPL season’s wins has been PowerPlay performances. The Royals scored 84 for one in the first overs in reply to the Kings’ 65 for one. Similarly, DC had managed 68 for one against PBKS, which finished the fielding restrictions after scoring 116 runs without loss.
PowerPlay overs have decided 73.68 per cent of matches this season.
“Over the years, teams have realised how important the PowerPlay is: only two fielders outside, six overs to maximise. So naturally, there’s more focus on that phase now,” RR fast bowler Sandeep Sharma said.
There has been a steady rise in batters targeting the boundaries in the PowerPlay, with run rates climbing from 7.7 in the inaugural season to 8.42 in 2018, and now 9.9 this season.
“What we’re seeing is a trend across the tournament – how dominant teams are in the first six overs. It’s very hard to stop sides now with the way they’re playing in the PowerPlay. You’ve also got the replacement player rule, which allows you to stack your batting and go even harder,” PBKS assistant coach Brad Haddin said.
A look at the points table also reflects which teams have embraced this approach of setting up, or even finishing, games early. Punjab, Royal Challengers Bengaluru, Sunrisers Hyderabad, and Rajasthan, the current top four, also boast the best returns from their top three batters, especially the openers.
For PBKS, Prabhsimran Singh and Priyansh Arya have scored at a strike rate of 205.55, followed by Royals openers Yashasvi Jaiswal and Vaibhav Sooryavanshi at 195.56. SRH’s Abhishek Sharma and Travis Head are at 183.17, while RCB’s Virat Kohli and Phil Salt/Jacob Bethell have struck at 164.42.
Winning the PowerPlay isn’t a guarantee, but it gives the batting side a significant advantage for the rest of the innings. DC openers, for instance, have a higher strike rate (172.35) than RCB’s. But with the rest of Bengaluru’s lineup sustaining the pressure, it has translated into results, while the Capitals remain in the bottom half.
The relentless pressure from ball one has made 200-plus totals par, even if they don’t guarantee wins. Openers are expected to score at a minimum of 10 an over, and the rest of the batting order must maintain a similar tempo.
Teams are no longer building towards a late surge. The first six overs are now played with almost the same boundary-hitting intensity (26.11%) as the final four overs (24.12%).
“I don’t think there is a thing called finishers anymore. It’s right from ball one – everyone is going at a rate of knots,” Chennai Super Kings coach Stephen Fleming had said earlier this season. “It’s not a build-up to the 16th over and then going harder. Everyone is going hard from ball one. Run rates of 10, 11, 12 throughout are expected. You’re not really getting the big peaks at the end, it’s just a more aggressive approach to get 240.”
Table-topper Punjab has been the most successful in executing this approach. While the top three score at over 12 an over, numbers four and five go at 11.1, and the lower middle order (6-8) at 10.81.
“If you look at the way we’ve played, our top order has been super dynamic. They’ve set up games and created opportunities,” Haddin said.
“But what the rest have done is contribute in roles that win matches. It might not be a 70 or 80 – it could be 15 off six balls to give us momentum. At the moment, they’re doing everything the game requires.”
Sandeep, however, believes finishers remain vital, especially over a long tournament.
“I don’t think the importance of finishers has reduced at all. Teams with strong finishers still have a great chance. If you look at the past, Chennai had Mahi bhai (MS Dhoni), Mumbai had Hardik Pandya and Kieron Pollard, and KKR had Andre Russell. Teams with strong players at 5, 6, and 7 tend to go far. That’s where the bulk of pressure lies. The top three don’t carry as much pressure – if they get out playing positively, it’s accepted. But 5-6-7 is a crucial phase,” he said.
This season has still produced instances of lower-order influence, such as Rinku Singh’s effort in Kolkata Knight Riders’ Super Over win against Lucknow Super Giants, but those moments are becoming rarer in a league where the PowerPlay is fast becoming the new death overs, and openers the new finishers.
Published on Apr 29, 2026
Marcus Stoinis’ stunning 22-ball 62 (not out) went in vain on Tuesday night as Punjab…
KL Rahul’s unbeaten century (152* off 67 balls) went in vain as Punjab Kings chased down 264 to record the highest successful run chase in IPL history at the Arun Jaitley Stadium on Saturday.
PBKS broke its own record it set in 2024 when the team chased down 261 against Kolkata Knight Riders.
Batting first, DC posted a massive 264/2 from its 20 overs thanks to a scintillating century by Rahul, the opener’s highest score and the highest score by an Indian in the IPL.
DC would have thought it had more than enough on the board but PBKS openers Priyansh Arya (43 off 17 balls) and Prabhsimran Singh (76 off 26 balls) took matters into their own hands and took the DC bowlers to all parts of the park.
Priyansh and Prabhsimran were at their destructive best to help Punjab Kings post 100 within the PowerPlay. Thereafter, captain Shreyas Iyer (71 off 36 balls) with ample support from Nehal Wadhera and Shashank Singh at the other end paced the chase to perfection to take his side to a memorable win with seven balls to spare.
Published on Apr 25, 2026
KL Rahul’s unbeaten century (152* off 67 balls) went in vain as Punjab Kings chased down 264 to record the highest successful run chase in IPL history at the Arun Jaitley Stadium on Saturday.
PBKS broke its own record it set in 2024 when the team chased down 261 against Kolkata Knight Riders.
Batting first, DC posted a massive 264/2 from its 20 overs thanks to a scintillating century by Rahul, the opener’s highest score and the highest score by an Indian in the IPL.
DC would have thought it had more than enough on the board but PBKS openers Priyansh Arya (43 off 17 balls) and Prabhsimran Singh (76 off 26 balls) took matters into their own hands and took the DC bowlers to all parts of the park.
Priyansh and Prabhsimran were at their destructive best to help Punjab Kings post 100 within the PowerPlay. Thereafter, captain Shreyas Iyer (71 off 36 balls) with ample support from Nehal Wadhera and Shashank Singh at the other end paced the chase to perfection to take his side to a memorable win with seven balls to spare.
Published on Apr 25, 2026
KL Rahul’s unbeaten century (152* off 67 balls) went in vain as Punjab Kings chased…
Prabhsimran Singh credited Yuvraj Singh after his unbeaten 80 off 39 powered Punjab Kings to a seven-wicket win over Mumbai Indians, chasing down 196 with 21 balls to spare.
“In the off-season, I worked a lot with Yuvi paaji. Whenever I talk to him, he says you have a lot of time, and you can play long,” Prabhsimran said after Punjab Kings sealed its fourth win of the competition.
The Punjab opener, still just 25 and already in his eighth season with the franchise, has moulded his game around this piece of advice from the former India international and established himself as a linchpin in this Punjab Kings unit, which looks likelier than ever to end its title drought.
Since the start of last season, Prabhsimran has faced 464 deliveries in the IPL, the seventh-most in the league. All six players above him in the list have played international cricket; two of them lead their national sides (Mitchell Marsh and Suryakumar Yadav), and one of them is Virat Kohli. Prabhsimran’s scoring rate of 163 is better than that of six of these batters.
Prolonged stays at the crease have helped Prabhsimran accumulate more. Last season, he racked up 549 runs at a strike rate of 160, returning the faith put in him by Punjab Kings, which retained him ahead of the mega auction.
Coach Ricky Ponting and captain Shreyas Iyer’s enduring trust in him, along with clarity about his role at the top, has made the task easier for Prabhsimran.
“Earlier, I used to get out in the 30s or 40s, so now I look to play longer innings. And, as we discuss in team meetings, mainly, it doesn’t matter to us whether we go for the Orange Cap or the Purple Cap; the goal is to create enough impact so that you can easily win matches for your team.
“Obviously, when I first arrived, I didn’t get many opportunities to play. But over the last three to four years, I’ve been getting chances. Sometimes things go well, sometimes they don’t. I just want to thank Punjab Kings. If they have backed me, then it is my duty to pay them back,” Prabhsimran said.
The assurance brought by his opening partner, Priyansh Arya, has gone a long way in helping Prabhsimran settle better at the top. Before Priyansh was slotted there, Prabhsimran shared the opening-wicket stand with seven batters over four seasons. Of these, the longest a batter persisted in the role was Shikhar Dhawan, who played 12 innings.
Since the onus of laying the foundation has fallen on Priyansh and Prabhsimran, Punjab Kings has scored at a run rate of 10.37. Only Rajasthan Royals’ Yashasvi Jaiswal and Vaibhav Suryavanshi, and Sunrisers Hyderabad’s Travis Head and Abhishek Sharma, have operated at a higher tempo.
Embracing the high-octane nature of modern T20 is another reason Prabhsimran has emerged as a match-winner. Since 2025, the right-handed batter from Patiala has scored 366 runs in successful run chases, bettered only by Iyer and Kohli.
This season, Punjab has chased down totals in excess of 190 three times, and Prabhsimran has scored fifties in two of those games. In the one where he did not, he scored 43. He leads the side’s run-scoring charts after five games and has never averaged better in his IPL career (70.33).
“Earlier, targets of 180 or 170 used to be defended. Now, it has moved to 200-plus. To score 200-plus, I feel you have to come in and play with an attacking approach right from the PowerPlay. You also get clarity from the team, the coach, and the captain to go all out and play freely; if you have to hit, then you have to go for it. Cricket has definitely become faster, so scoring even 250 is not that difficult anymore,” Prabhsimran said.
On the merit of his IPL exploits over the past year, Prabhsimran has made himself one of the most keenly followed players in India. His call-up to the India A side to face Australia A last September attests to the fact that even the selectors count him among the best of the rest.
He lapped up the opportunity and notched up a century in the third unofficial One-Dayer as India A overhauled a 300-plus total.
“When you get into the India A setup, you feel that your main goal — to play for the senior Indian team, to represent the country for a long time — is one step closer. You feel like, ‘Yes, I am in India A now, and if I do well, maybe I will get a chance soon.’ So, that confidence stays inside you, knowing that if you do well, the ultimate goal of playing for the senior India team is not too far away,” Prabhsimran said.
However, in a league where batting benchmarks keep rising, Prabhsimran is yet to pass his toughest test. Last season, he misfired in three of Punjab Kings’ most crucial games, including the playoffs and the final.
Despite his propensity to launch early offensives, he still falls short of the standards set by Abhishek, Phil Salt, and Suryavanshi.
“I definitely have to do more. The competition is very high, so I have to perform well. But if you take all these things in the spirit of healthy competition, I feel you will only grow positively. As long as I am playing, I will continue this way. With every failure, you realise what you have done is not enough and that you need to do more,” Prabhsimran said.
As he does every time in the middle, Prabhsimran is backing himself to play the long game.
Published on Apr 17, 2026
Prabhsimran Singh credited Yuvraj Singh after his unbeaten 80 off 39 powered Punjab Kings to a seven-wicket win over Mumbai Indians, chasing down 196 with 21 balls to spare.
“In the off-season, I worked a lot with Yuvi paaji. Whenever I talk to him, he says you have a lot of time, and you can play long,” Prabhsimran said after Punjab Kings sealed its fourth win of the competition.
The Punjab opener, still just 25 and already in his eighth season with the franchise, has moulded his game around this piece of advice from the former India international and established himself as a linchpin in this Punjab Kings unit, which looks likelier than ever to end its title drought.
Since the start of last season, Prabhsimran has faced 464 deliveries in the IPL, the seventh-most in the league. All six players above him in the list have played international cricket; two of them lead their national sides (Mitchell Marsh and Suryakumar Yadav), and one of them is Virat Kohli. Prabhsimran’s scoring rate of 163 is better than that of six of these batters.
Prolonged stays at the crease have helped Prabhsimran accumulate more. Last season, he racked up 549 runs at a strike rate of 160, returning the faith put in him by Punjab Kings, which retained him ahead of the mega auction.
Coach Ricky Ponting and captain Shreyas Iyer’s enduring trust in him, along with clarity about his role at the top, has made the task easier for Prabhsimran.
“Earlier, I used to get out in the 30s or 40s, so now I look to play longer innings. And, as we discuss in team meetings, mainly, it doesn’t matter to us whether we go for the Orange Cap or the Purple Cap; the goal is to create enough impact so that you can easily win matches for your team.
“Obviously, when I first arrived, I didn’t get many opportunities to play. But over the last three to four years, I’ve been getting chances. Sometimes things go well, sometimes they don’t. I just want to thank Punjab Kings. If they have backed me, then it is my duty to pay them back,” Prabhsimran said.
The assurance brought by his opening partner, Priyansh Arya, has gone a long way in helping Prabhsimran settle better at the top. Before Priyansh was slotted there, Prabhsimran shared the opening-wicket stand with seven batters over four seasons. Of these, the longest a batter persisted in the role was Shikhar Dhawan, who played 12 innings.
Since the onus of laying the foundation has fallen on Priyansh and Prabhsimran, Punjab Kings has scored at a run rate of 10.37. Only Rajasthan Royals’ Yashasvi Jaiswal and Vaibhav Suryavanshi, and Sunrisers Hyderabad’s Travis Head and Abhishek Sharma, have operated at a higher tempo.
Embracing the high-octane nature of modern T20 is another reason Prabhsimran has emerged as a match-winner. Since 2025, the right-handed batter from Patiala has scored 366 runs in successful run chases, bettered only by Iyer and Kohli.
This season, Punjab has chased down totals in excess of 190 three times, and Prabhsimran has scored fifties in two of those games. In the one where he did not, he scored 43. He leads the side’s run-scoring charts after five games and has never averaged better in his IPL career (70.33).
“Earlier, targets of 180 or 170 used to be defended. Now, it has moved to 200-plus. To score 200-plus, I feel you have to come in and play with an attacking approach right from the PowerPlay. You also get clarity from the team, the coach, and the captain to go all out and play freely; if you have to hit, then you have to go for it. Cricket has definitely become faster, so scoring even 250 is not that difficult anymore,” Prabhsimran said.
On the merit of his IPL exploits over the past year, Prabhsimran has made himself one of the most keenly followed players in India. His call-up to the India A side to face Australia A last September attests to the fact that even the selectors count him among the best of the rest.
He lapped up the opportunity and notched up a century in the third unofficial One-Dayer as India A overhauled a 300-plus total.
“When you get into the India A setup, you feel that your main goal — to play for the senior Indian team, to represent the country for a long time — is one step closer. You feel like, ‘Yes, I am in India A now, and if I do well, maybe I will get a chance soon.’ So, that confidence stays inside you, knowing that if you do well, the ultimate goal of playing for the senior India team is not too far away,” Prabhsimran said.
However, in a league where batting benchmarks keep rising, Prabhsimran is yet to pass his toughest test. Last season, he misfired in three of Punjab Kings’ most crucial games, including the playoffs and the final.
Despite his propensity to launch early offensives, he still falls short of the standards set by Abhishek, Phil Salt, and Suryavanshi.
“I definitely have to do more. The competition is very high, so I have to perform well. But if you take all these things in the spirit of healthy competition, I feel you will only grow positively. As long as I am playing, I will continue this way. With every failure, you realise what you have done is not enough and that you need to do more,” Prabhsimran said.
As he does every time in the middle, Prabhsimran is backing himself to play the long game.
Published on Apr 17, 2026
Prabhsimran Singh credited Yuvraj Singh after his unbeaten 80 off 39 powered Punjab Kings to…
