CHENNAI, India (AP) — Opening batters Priyansh Arya and Prabhsimran Singh gave Punjab Kings a flying start to a target of 210 as they overhauled Chennai Super Kings in the Indian Premier League on Friday.
Impact substitute Arya set the tone with 39 runs off 11 balls as he and Singh rumbled to 68-1 in the powerplay. Captain Shreyas Iyer’s 26-ball half-century and Cooper Connolly’s 36 ensured Punjab reached 210-5 with eight balls to spare and won by five wickets.
Chennai thought it put up a defendable total of 209-5 at home thanks to former India Under-19 captain Ayush Mhatre’s 73 off 43, Shivam Dube’s unbeaten 45 off 27 and Sarfaraz Khan’s cameo 32 off 12.
But Chennai’s bowling was ordinary. Only five bowlers were used while allrounders Dube and debutant Prashant Veer were not used.
“That was an exceptional start for us,” Iyer said. “I feel the way they (Arya and Singh) have been batting has been phenomenal and it stabilizes the rhythm for us. I am glad everyone is getting to bat. It gives immense confidence to the team.”
Arya smacked fast bowler Matt Henry for three fours and a six in a 20-run second over after the left-hander hit Khaleel Ahmed for a four and a six off the first two legitimate balls in the first over.
Singh raised Punjab’s 50 in only the third over when he took three boundaries off Anshul Kamboj.
Henry rattled Arya’s off stump and Singh was run out in a mixup with Connolly when the Australian refused to go for a tight second run. Connolly holed out at long-on then Iyer took charge of the chase.
Iyer smashed three sixes and four boundaries in a 59-run stand with Nehal Wadhera that sealed the result.
Earlier, Iyer continued the template of teams preferring to chase when he won the toss and elected to field. Sanju Samson, returning to his home venue, perished in the second over for just 7.
Mhatre showed plenty of aggression in a stand of 96 with captain Ruturaj Gaikwad, who made a scratchy 28 before falling to IPL leading wicket-taker Yuzvendra Chahal in the 12th over.
Mhatre looked set for a big knock after crashing five sixes and six boundaries and was livid with himself when he was caught at short third while attempting an extravagant shot against Vijakumar Vyshak (2-38).
Khan and Dube propelled Chennai beyond 200 but their bowlers couldn’t tie down Punjab.
“We felt … having two wrist-spinners bowling in tandem will help but off-day for both of them and that is what cost us,” Gaikwad said.
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