Shreyas Iyer Smashes Maiden IPL Century as PBKS Crush LSG to Stay Alive in Playoff Race

After six straight losses, Punjab Kings finally got back to winning ways in style. Captain Shreyas Iyer made history by scoring his first-ever IPL century and ended the match with the winning runs. PBKS kept their playoff hopes alive with a dominant 7-wicket win, chasing the target with 18 balls left. The defeat also knocked Delhi Capitals out of the tournament.

Earlier in the evening, Shreyas Iyer won the toss and elected to chase in this must-win clash for the Punjab Kings. LSG started aggressively as Josh Inglis took on Arshdeep Singh in the opening over, collecting 16 runs straight away. However, Azmatullah Omarzai and Marco Jansen pulled things back brilliantly with wickets in successive overs as Arshin Kulkarni and Nicholas Pooran departed cheaply. Inglis and Ayush Badoni then counterattacked beautifully, adding valuable runs at a brisk rate to take LSG to 66/2 at the end of the Powerplay.

The 49-run stand was eventually broken by Yuzvendra Chahal, who outfoxed Ayush Badoni and had him stumped after a sparkling 43 off just 18 balls. The pocket dynamo looked in sublime touch during his stay at the crease. Josh Inglis continued his impressive season and brought up yet another fifty-plus score. Alongside skipper Rishabh Pant, Inglis stitched together a crucial 65-run partnership for the fourth wicket and once again top-scored for LSG with a fine 72 off 44 deliveries. Abdul Samad then provided the finishing touches with a handy unbeaten 37 off 20 balls, helping Lucknow Super Giants post a competitive 196/6 from their 20 overs.

Shreyas Iyer’s Historic Century Keeps PBKS Playoff Hopes Alive

In reply, LSG could not have asked for a better start as Mohammed Shami struck with the very first ball of the chase, dismissing Priyansh Arya for a golden duck. Cooper Connolly played a few eye-catching strokes during his quick cameo but Shami struck again to remove him for 18 off 10 balls. From there on, Prabhsimran Singh and skipper Shreyas Iyer came together and completely shifted the momentum back towards Punjab Kings. PBKS recovered strongly to reach 65/2 after 6 overs, with Shreyas looking particularly aggressive and finding the boundary regularly.

The pair then went on an all-out assault as the LSG bowlers ran out of answers in the middle overs. Arjun Tendulkar managed to create a chance, but Rishabh Pant failed to hold on to the catch when Prabhsimran Singh was on 20, and that drop proved extremely costly. Prabhsimran made LSG pay heavily as both he and Shreyas Iyer registered their sixth half-centuries of the season. Arjun eventually broke the massive 140-run stand in the 15th over, dismissing Prabhsimran for a superb 69 off 39 balls, but by then the damage had already been done for Lucknow. 

Shreyas Iyer stayed unbeaten right till the very end and once again showcased how smart and composed he is in a run chase. The PBKS skipper brought up his maiden IPL century in style with a towering maximum that also sealed the game for his side. Punjab Kings finally snapped their six-match losing streak with a dominant victory as Shreyas remained unbeaten on a sensational 101 off 51 deliveries. With this emphatic win, PBKS move up to the fourth spot on the points table for now.

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IPL 2026, MI VS RR Match Prediction: Who Will Win, Fantasy Picks, Top Batters and Bowlers Mumbai Indians will face Rajasthan Royals in Match 69 of the Indian Premier League 2026 on May 24, with the match scheduled to begin at 3:30 PM IST.

by Dwijesh May 22, 2026