IPL 2026: Shreyas Iyer’s maiden IPL ton keeps PBKS playoff hopes alive with big win over LSG
Punjab Kings ended a six-match losing streak with a dominant seven-wicket victory over Lucknow Super Giants. Captain Shreyas Iyer smashed an unbeaten century, supported by Prabhsimran Singh's quickfire 69. This win propels Punjab to fourth place, but their playoff qualification still depends on other match outcomes.
Lucknow had earlier posted 196/6 thanks to Josh Inglis and Ayush Badoni.
Punjab Kings snapped their six-match losing streak in emphatic style as captain Shreyas Iyer hammered a magnificent unbeaten century to guide his side to a crushing seven-wicket win over Lucknow Super Giants and keep their IPL 2026 playoff hopes alive. Chasing 197 at the Ekana Stadium, Punjab recovered from an early wobble to comfortably reach 200/3 in just 18 overs. Shreyas led the charge with a sensational 101 not out off 51 balls, registering his maiden IPL hundred, while Prabhsimran Singh played the perfect supporting role with a blistering 69 off 39 deliveries.
The duo stitched together a match-defining 140-run partnership for the third wicket after Punjab had slipped into early trouble. Mohammed Shami struck immediately by dismissing Priyansh Arya for a first-ball duck before also removing Cooper Connolly to leave PBKS under pressure. However, Shreyas showed remarkable composure and quickly took control of the chase.
The PBKS skipper dominated both pace and spin with a mix of elegant drives, powerful pulls and trademark flicks through the leg side. He especially targeted spinner Digvesh Rathee, collecting boundaries regularly to shift momentum completely in Punjab’s favour. Prabhsimran, who survived chances on 20 and 62, kept the scoreboard moving fluently and brought up his sixth fifty of the season in just 26 balls.