Young opener Priyansh Arya announces his arrival with a 42-ball century as Punjab Kings defeat five-time champions Chennai Super Kings by 18 runs in Mullanpur.
Chandigarh, April 9: Priyansh Arya’s explosive maiden century lit up the Maharaja Yadavindra Singh International Cricket Stadium, as Punjab Kings (PBKS) posted a daunting 219/6 and secured an 18-run win over the Chennai Super Kings (CSK) in a high-voltage IPL 2025 encounter.
Batting first, PBKS faced early jolts, losing Prabhsimran Singh, captain Shreyas Iyer, and Marcus Stoinis within the powerplay. But Priyansh Arya stood tall amid the collapse. Unleashing a flurry of sixes and fours, the young opener raced to a 19-ball fifty and then hammered a breathtaking 42-ball 103, decorated with 7 fours and 9 sixes.
Arya’s blitzkrieg was supported by Shashank Singh (52* off 36) and Marco Jansen (34* off 19), who pushed the total past the 200-run mark. Punjab finished at 219/6. For CSK, Khaleel Ahmed (2/45) and Ravichandran Ashwin (2/48) were among the wickets.
In response, CSK’s openers Rachin Ravindra (36) and Devon Conway (69) gave them a steady start, with 59 runs in the powerplay. However, Glenn Maxwell and Lockie Ferguson struck in quick succession, dismissing Rachin and skipper Ruturaj Gaikwad (1), halting CSK’s momentum.
Conway and Shivam Dube stitched together an 89-run partnership, but Dube fell in the 16th over for 42, and Conway tactically retired out in the 18th over, making way for Ravindra Jadeja.
MS Dhoni lit up the stadium with a quickfire 27 off 12 balls, but the required rate had spiraled out of reach. PBKS bowlers, especially Ferguson (2/40), held their nerve to seal a memorable win.
With this victory, Punjab Kings not only defended a challenging total but also unearthed a future star in Priyansh Arya.
