Punjab Kings captain Shreyas Iyer (PTI Photo) Punjab Kings captain Shreyas Iyer was impressed after Priyansh Arya and Cooper Connolly produced a stunning batting display to seal a 54-run win over Lucknow Super Giants on Sunday. Arya, one of the most talked about T20 batting talents along with Vaibhav Sooryavanshi, smashed 93 off 37 balls while Connolly, Australia’s highly rated new generation batsman, made 87 off 45 deliveries. Their partnership of 182 runs from just 80 balls laid the foundation for PBKS to post a massive 254 for 7. In reply, LSG could only manage 200 for 5 despite a fighting 43 from Rishabh Pant and 40 from Mitchell Marsh. Iyer was full of praise for the pair’s intent and mindset. He called the performance “outstanding” and said “some of the shots were jaw-dropping”, praising the courage and composure displayed at the crease. He also revealed a slight challenge in the group, saying he was “just talking to Cooper and Priyansh” about who will hit the most sixes this season, adding that they are both “up for it”. The PBKS captain emphasized that the team environment gives full freedom to the young batsmen. “If you let them be, go out and express themselves, they will,” he said, adding that he doesn’t dictate how they should build their shifts as they follow their own routines and processes. Iyer also praised the support system around the team, mentioning Ricky Ponting’s involvement before matches when he joined in with the innings. As for the bowling group, he said PBKS have a largely international-quality attack and pointed to their level of execution as key to victory, while admitting the team had “a lot of satisfaction” from reading and adjusting to the wicket. The win underscored PBKS’ growing confidence this season, built on aggressive intent and role clarity, as they continue to push for a stronger campaign after finishing second in 2025.
