Shreyas Iyer (BCCI Photo) NEW DELHI: Punjab Kings continued their strong start to IPL 2026 with a five-wicket win over Chennai Super Kings thanks to a captain’s knock from Shreyas Iyer and a solid team effort. Chasing a big target of 210, PBKS remained calm under pressure and got over the line with eight balls to spare, handing CSK their second straight defeat.CSK had earlier posted 209/5 after being put into bat. Youngster Ayush Mhatre led the charge with an impressive 73 while Sarfaraz Khan and Shivam Dube added quick runs towards the end to push the total past 200.
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Ajinkya Rahane press conference: KKR skipper backs bowlers, hits back at SR criticsA key partnership between Mhatra and Ruturaj Gaikwad helped build the innings, though PBKS pulled things back with timely wickets.In response, Punjab got off to a flying start with Priyansh Arya smashing 39 off just 11 balls. Prabhsimran Singh and Cooper Connolly chipped in with useful contributions and kept the chase on track. When the pressure was on, captain Shreyas Iyer came through, scoring a composed half-century and controlling the game with smart shot selection. Later, Shashank Singh and Marcus Stoinis finished the job comfortably.
“Playing to Impress Each Other”
After the match, Iyer revealed the team’s mindset, adding: “Well, it’s not planned, to be honest, but we’ve just decided in the dressing room that whatever happens, we’re going to play cricket that’s meant to impress each other, not others outside.”Praising the strong start, he said, “Priyansh and Prab are doing the job at the start… it’s phenomenal to see them give it to us and it stabilizes the rhythm for us.”On Arya’s explosive innings, he added: “Absolutely. I mean, to get 39 off 11 balls, that’s the start we want, especially when you’re chasing 208.”Explaining his bowling selection, Iyer said, “And we usually know how impressive he is over the years. And he’s probably one of the best bowlers in the IPL so far. So whenever I’m in doubt, I’ll go for it.”Punjab’s clear thinking and teamwork have now taken them to the top of the table.
