Arya’s century helps Punjab down Chennai, Lucknow win

Up and coming Indian batter Priyansh Arya struck his first century in the IPL to lead Punjab Kings (PBKS) to an 18-run win over Chennai Super Kings (CSK) on Tuesday.

Arya, a left-hand batter known for his six-hitting in domestic cricket, smashed 103 off 42 balls to steer Punjab to 219-6 at Mullanpur, near Chandigarh, where Chennai managed 201-5.

Spotted by Punjab after hitting six sixes in an over in a Delhi Premier League T20 match last year, the 24-year-old Arya was brought by the franchise for $440,000 in the November auction.

The big-hitter did not disappoint as he smashed the second ton of this season in his fourth match in the T20 tournament. He raced to his hundred in 39 balls as he pummelled the opposition attack with seven fours and nine sixes.

The ton was the fastest against five-time champions Chennai and the joint fourth-fastest ever in the IPL. Chris Gayle holds the record with a century in 30 balls.

Opener Arya found little support at the start as Punjab slipped to 83-5. After Shashank Singh joined the rising star and the two put together 71 runs in 34 balls.

Arya finally fell to Afghanistan spinner Noor Ahmad, but Shashank, with his 52, and South African Marco Jansen, who smashed 34, finished with a flourish in an unbeaten stand of 65.

Chennai attempted to make a fist of the chase as New Zealand left-handers Rachin Ravindra and Devon Conway put on 61 runs for the opening wicket.

Australia spinner Glenn Maxwell got Ravindra stumped on 36. Skipper Ruturaj Gaikwad fell for one off fast bowler Lockie Ferguson.

Conway powered on with impact substitute Shivam Dube as the two put on 89 runs but Ferguson broke through to get the left-handed Dube bowled for 42.

Veteran MS Dhoni walked out to loud cheers but even though Conway retired out, Chennai’s batters failed to keep up to the ever-increasing run-rate.

Dhoni, 43, raised faint hopes of getting the target in his 12-ball 27 but departed at the start of the last over and Chennai went down to their fourth loss in five matches.

LSG edge past KKR: Explosive knocks from Nicholas Pooran and Mitchell Marsh set up a tense four-run win for Lucknow Super Giants in a high-scoring IPL clash against Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) on Tuesday.

Marsh smashed 81 for his fourth half-century of the tournament and Pooran an unbeaten 36-ball 87 to fire Lucknow to 238-3 at Kolkata’s Eden Gardens.

Kolkata mounted a strong reply as skipper Ajinkya Rahane struck 61 off 35 balls and Rinku Singh blasted an unbeaten 38 in a late blitz, but the home team finished on 234-7.

Lucknow have three wins from five matches. Kolkata, who won their third IPL title last year, have three defeats from their five outings.

LSG fast bowler Akash Deep and Shardul Thakur took two wickets each and struck at key moments to trigger a middle-order collapse during which KKR lost four wickets in 16 balls.

Thakur dismissed Rahane and Andre Russell, for seven, while Deep cut short Venkatesh Iyer’s knock on 45.

Sunil Narine got the chase off to a brisk start with his 13-ball 30 and after his departure Rahane and Iyer kept up the charge until Kolkata lost their way.

Earlier, the in-form Marsh laid the foundations for Lucknow’s mammoth total in his 99-run opening stand with Aiden Markram, who hit 47.

Marsh took down the bowlers with regular boundaries and Markram was equally fluent in his 28-ball knock before Harshit Rana denied the South African a fifty.

Marsh reached his half-century with a boundary and with Pooran put on another destructive partnership until Russell broke through.

Russell dismissed Marsh but Pooran kept up the onslaught to reach his fifty in just 21 balls before he smacked Russell for three fours and two sixes in a 24-run 18th over.

Lucknow skipper Rishabh Pant did not bat and is still waiting to justify his record auction price of $3.21 million.

Pooran is the leading run-scorer in the 2025 IPL so far with 288 runs including three half-centuries in five matches, scoring at a strike-rate of 225.

Marsh has accumulated 265 runs and is second on the list.

Agence France-Presse