Shreyas Iyer delivered a captain’s knock to keep Punjab Kings firmly in the IPL 2026 playoffs, scoring his maiden IPL century in a crucial win over Lucknow Super Giants.
The PBKS skipper remained unbeaten on 101 off 51 balls, guiding his side to a successful chase of 197 with two overs to spare. The victory ended a six-match losing streak and lifted Punjab Kings into the top four, with their qualification now dependent on results in other matches.
PBKS will be watching the outcomes of Rajasthan Royals vs Mumbai Indians and Kolkata Knight Riders vs Delhi Capitals closely, as those fixtures will determine their final position.
LSG Post Competitive Total
After being put in to bat, Lucknow Super Giants posted 196 for 6, with Josh Inglis leading the scoring with 72 off 44 balls.
Ayush Badoni added 43 from just 18 deliveries, while Abdul Samad contributed an unbeaten 37 off 20, helping LSG finish strongly despite early setbacks.
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Captain Rishabh Pant, however, struggled again, managing 26 from 22 balls during the innings.
Chahal Leads PBKS Bowling Effort
Punjab Kings had mixed fortunes with the ball. Arshdeep Singh endured a difficult outing, conceding 52 runs in three overs without taking a wicket.
Yuzvendra Chahal provided control, returning figures of 2 for 25 in four overs, while Marco Jansen also claimed two wickets for 33 runs to keep LSG in check during the middle overs.
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Iyer Anchors the Chase
PBKS’ chase began poorly, with two early wickets leaving them at 22 for 2. However, Iyer steadied the innings with a decisive 140-run partnership for the third wicket alongside Prabhsimran Singh.
Prabhsimran played a key role with 69 off 39 balls before falling to a yorker from Arjun Tendulkar. Iyer, though, carried on and remained unbeaten to see his side home.
With just three runs needed from 13 balls and Iyer five runs short of a century, he sealed both the win and his hundred with a six, finishing on 101 off 51 at a strike rate of 198.03.
Fielding Errors Hurt LSG
Lucknow had started strongly with Mohammed Shami removing Priyansh Arya and Cooper Connolly early in the chase. However, missed opportunities proved costly.
Prabhsimran was dropped on 21 by Pant and later survived another chance on 62 when Ayush Badoni failed to complete a catch.
Aside from Arjun Tendulkar, the LSG bowlers struggled to contain the scoring, with the rest conceding runs at an economy rate above 10.
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Punjab Kings’ win keeps them in contention as the league stage reaches its final phase, with their playoff fate now hinging on other results.
