New Chandigarh, April 20 (IANS) Shreyas Iyer revealed that a light-hearted six-hitting contest in the dressing room sparked Punjab Kings’ batting blitz after they hammered Lucknow Super Giants by 54 runs in a high-scoring Indian Premier League 2026 clash on Sunday.

PBKS, who sit atop the points table, produced another batting masterclass, piling up 254/7 — the highest total of the season so far — riding on sensational knocks from Priyansh Arya and Cooper Connolly. The duo stitched together a stunning 182-run stand for the second wicket in just 13.2 overs, leaving the opposition chasing shadows.

Skipper Iyer was effusive in his praise for the pair, saying, “Well, it was exceptional to see. Some of the shots I saw from them were just jaw dropping honestly speaking. Hitting fast bowlers off the back foot straight down the ground needs a lot of courage. Things can slip a bit but the way they built that partnership, especially in the middle overs was just sensational”.

He also revealed the fun challenge that drove their fearless approach. “I was just talking with Cooper and Priyansh about that. I told them, let us compete in this IPL who hits most sixes and they are up for it. The prize is going to be my bat. So, it doesn’t make sense. So, at the end of the day, if they keep performing and the team keeps performing, I am happy.”

Iyer emphasised the team’s philosophy of backing players to express themselves freely. “I personally feel that, when you just let them be and allow them to go out there and express themselves, that’s when they do well. There is no such mantra for us. I think they have got their patterns set and every individual in the team follow their routines and they keep delivering. So, I don’t have to tell much. We talk before the game. Ricky chips in a few words, I add a few too. The boys come and they delivery in the middle.”

The bowlers then backed up the batting effort with a disciplined performance, restricting LSG to 200/5 to seal a comprehensive victory. Iyer credited the experience within his attack, stating, “Majority of our bowlers are international bowlers with immense experience. We have plans against certain batters, it’s all about execution. They just shouldn’t get complacent.”

–IANS

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