Punjab Kings’ Cooper Connolly, right, and his batsman Priyansh Arya (AP Photo) Punjab Kings’ explosive new batting pair of Priyansh Arya and Cooper Connolly have already established themselves in rare statistical company, forming a partnership that is now second only to the legendary Virat Kohli-AB de Villiers in IPL history in both dominance and run-rate. On Sunday in Mullanpur, Arya and Connolly tore apart the Lucknow Super Giants attack with a breathtaking partnership of 182 runs off just 80 balls at a staggering 13.65. It is now the second highest run rate for a 100-plus stand in Punjab Kings’ IPL history, behind only David Miller and R Sathish’s 2013 blast. Only one stand in IPL history has surpassed their combination of runs and scoring rate – the iconic partnership of 229 runs off 96 balls between Kohli and de Villiers against Gujarat Lions in Bengaluru in 2016, which scored 14.31 runs per over. Arya, just 24, smashed 93 off 37 balls with fearless clarity, while Connolly brought the Aussie flair with a 45-ball 87. Between them, they hit 16 sixes and 12 fours, destroying every phase of the LSG attack.150-plus means PBKS in IPL206 – Adam Gilchrist & Shaun Marsh vs RCB, Dharamsala, 2011183 – KL Rahul & Mayank Agarwal vs RR, Sharjah, 2020182 – Priyansh Arya & Cooper Connolly vs LSG, Mullanpur, 2026 LSG’s reply, despite being 200/5 in 20 overs, never came close. Rishabh Pant (43) and Mitchell Marsh (40) put up resistance but lacked the pace to match Punjab’s opening burst. A disciplined spell from Vyshak Vijaykumar (1/30) was the only real check point for LSG in an otherwise one-sided contest. The result was a reminder that Punjab’s new generation is not only winning matches but rewriting the record books alongside the biggest names the IPL has ever seen.
