Shreyas (50), Prabhsimran (43) Priyansh (38) star in their 5-wicket win
Chennai: Skipper Shreyas Iyer’s half-century draped in elegance and aggression in equal measure was the centrepiece in Punjab Kings’ five-wicket win over Chennai Super Kings in their IPL match here on Friday.
Shreyas (50, 29 balls) and his 59-run alliance with Nehal Wadhera for the fourth wicket helped Punjab end up at 210 for five while chasing a competitive 209 on a dew-less Chepauk night, also consigning the hosts to their second successive defeat.
It was Punjab’s second win on the trot, but there were other heroes too on the night for the PBKS.
Chasing a stiff target, Punjab’s top order laid a solid platform with aggressive yet measured contributions. Priyansh Arya (39 off 11 balls) provided a blistering start, taking on Khaleel Ahmed and Matt Henry, including a 20-run over, while Prabhsimran Singh (43) kept the momentum going as the duo added 61 runs in just 4.2 overs.
After Arya’s dismissal, Cooper Connolly (36) ensured continuity before falling to Anshul Kamboj. Shreyas, who began cautiously, soon took control of the chase, particularly against spin, striking a notable inside-out six off Rahul Chahar. He reached his half-century in 26 balls before falling to Kamboj, while Wadhera’s dismissal soon after briefly slowed Punjab. However, the target was within reach and the visitors completed the chase without further alarms.
Earlier, Ayush Mhatre starred with a fluent 73 off 43 balls to propel CSK to 209 for five. He shared a 96-run stand with skipper Ruturaj Gaikwad (28) after Sanju Samson fell early.
Mhatre dominated the powerplay and reached his fifty in 29 balls.
However, Yuzvendra Chahal applied the brakes in the middle overs, dismissing Gaikwad and eventually Mhatre, who had earlier survived two dropped chances.
Late contributions from Sarfaraz Khan (32 off 12) and Shivam Dube (45 off 27) helped CSK add 64 runs in the final five overs, but the total proved insufficient against a well-paced Punjab chase.
