Priyansh Arya and KL Rahul (Image credit: BCCI/IPL) NEW DELHI: Star young batsman Priyansh Arya seems to love clearing the ropes – and does so against any bowling attack. During the IPL 2026 clash against Lucknow Super Giants, Arya unleashed a brutal knock and smashed 93 off just 37 balls to power Punjab Kings to a mammoth 254/7. He was ably supported by left-hander Cooper Connolly, who made 87 off 46 deliveries.At a packed Maharaja Yadavindra Singh International Cricket Stadium, PBKS defended their season-high 254/7 by restricting LSG to 200/5. With the win, the well-prepared Punjab Kings extended their strong run to stay at the top of the points table, while LSG slumped to their third straight defeat and dropped to eighth place.Arya, who slammed four boundaries and nine sixes, tore into the LSG bowlers from the start and raced to his fifty in just 19 deliveries with a relentless stroke play.In the process, he went past KL Rahul to score the most fifties under 20 balls in the franchise’s history. Arya’s 93 came at a staggering strike rate of 251.35 and he looked set for a well-deserved century before falling by seven runs – caught by Mitchell Marsh off Manimaran Siddharth at long-on.Arya was named Player of the Match for her explosive hitting.
Watch
Bombay Sport Exchange: Munaf Patel on Gautam Gambhir, Virat vs Bumrah and Indian bowling.He now has three fifties under 20 balls – including a 19-ball half-century against LSG this season, a 16-ball effort against Sunrisers Hyderabad and another 19-ball fifty against Chennai Super Kings last season.In comparison, Rahul scored a 14-ball half-century against Delhi Capitals in 2018 and a 19-ball fifty against Chennai Super Kings in 2019.In five innings for PBKS this season, Arya has scored 211 runs at an average of 42.20 and a strike rate of 248.23, including two fifties. He has smashed 14 fours and 20 sixes so far.In total, in 22 matches for Punjab Kings, Arya amassed 686 runs at an average of 31.18 and a strike rate of 196.00, with a century and four fifties.Batsmen with 50+ runs in less than 20 balls for Punjab Kings in IPL history:Priyansh Arya – 3(vs LSG Today | vs SRH 2026 | vs CSK 2025)KL Rahul – 2(vs CSK 2019 | vs DD 2018)
