Priyansh Arya Lights Up Mullanpur as PBKS Stun CSK

April 08, 2025

Punjab Kings finally broke the Mullanpur curse, registering only their second win at the venue—and it came in some style! The young and fearless Priyansh Arya stole the spotlight with a sensational knock that left even Ricky Ponting fist-bumping in joy. The uncapped batter’s fearless hitting drew comparisons to Paul Valthaty’s famous innings against CSK, and rightfully so.

Chasing a massive target, CSK needed a similar spark from one of their big names, but none could match Priyansh’s fireworks. Conway and Rachin stitched a steady start but struggled with the required rate. Shivam Dube tried to force the issue but was bogged down by Conway’s lack of intent. Even Dhoni’s late cameo of 27 off 12 couldn’t save the day.

A rare move saw CSK retire Conway out in the 18th over, but Jadeja’s entry brought no shift in momentum. Could they have done it earlier? Maybe. But hindsight’s always 20/20.

Fielding was another sore point, with both sides dropping dollies throughout. In the end, the team that dropped fewer (barely) came out on top.

CSK now find themselves on a worrying four-match losing streak, while PBKS climb back with a crucial win. The points table is heating up, with five teams locked on six points. Ironically, the bottom two spots are held by MI and CSK — the two most successful teams in IPL history.

Tonight belonged to Priyansh Arya — a name CSK won’t forget anytime soon.

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International games

  • No international today

Pant’s Tactics Turn the Tide as LSG Stun KKR in Dramatic Collapse

KKR looked like they were on cruise control — but cricket, as always, had other plans. Chasing a strong total, they rocketed to 90/1 in the Powerplay thanks to Sunil Narine’s early blitz and Ajinkya Rahane’s classy strokeplay. Even after de Kock’s early exit, Rahane and Venkatesh Iyer stitched together another solid 50+ partnership, making the chase look like a walk in the park.

But then came the pant pause.

Much like the T20 World Cup final, Rishabh Pant showed sharp game awareness. He slowed down the tempo, allowed his bowlers to regroup, and suddenly, the momentum shifted. Shardul Thakur broke the Iyer-Rahane stand, and from there, KKR unraveled—losing 5 wickets for just 23 runs. Rinku Singh gave it one final push, but the mountain was just too steep in the end.

Full credit to Pant for his smart captaincy — holding back overs from his spinners and trusting his pacers to finish strong. It worked like a charm.

That’s back-to-back wins now for the Lucknow Super Giants, who are slowly finding rhythm with a solid top order and improving bowling. On the other hand, it’s been a patchy start for KKR, alternating between wins and losses. They’ll need to break that cycle soon.

❝

“I was absolutely bricking it before the warm-up game [in New Zealand], just knowing that I'd have Joe Root standing to my right, Brooky and Duckett waffling and giggling at each other, and Stokes at mid-off looking at me."

Jordan Cox was all nerves in the sole match he played before injuring his thumb and putting the brakes on his England Test debut last year

Domestic cricket + T20 leagues

  • Kolkata Knight Riders vs Lucknow Super Giants

    LSG 238/3 (20)

    KKR 234/7 (20)

    Lucknow Super Giants won by 4 runs

  • Punjab Kings vs Chennai Super Kings

    PBKS 219/6 (20)

    CSK 201/5 (20)

On This Day

Alec Stewart made his Test debut just before turning 27 but still went on to play 133 matches for England. A solid batter, he averaged 46 when not keeping wickets but often had to don the gloves, bringing his average down to 35 for the team’s balance.

He led England to a memorable Test series win over South Africa in 1998, their first in over a decade. Though his old-school captaincy was questioned after a poor 1999 World Cup, Stewart remained a key figure until his retirement in 2003. Steady, selfless, and always dependable — he was England’s backbone through thick and thin.

Coming tomorrow

  • Gujarat Titans vs Rajasthan Royals

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