Punjab Kings lit up their home ground in New Chandigarh with a stunning batting display against Lucknow Super Giants. At the heart of it were Priyansh Arya and Cooper Connolly. The innings did not start perfectly, with PBKS losing a wicket in the opening over. However, what followed quickly turned the game away from LSG.
Arya and Connolly took charge and never really allowed LSG to recover. The pair stitched together a 182-run partnership for the second wicket, which now stands as the second-highest for PBKS in IPL history. Only the 206-run stand between Adam Gilchrist and Shaun Marsh against RCB in 2011 sits above it, putting this effort in elite company.
Priyansh Arya and Cooper Connolly shatter records
Their 182-run stand was not just significant for the Punjab Kings. For those unaware, it also became the highest partnership for any wicket against LSG in IPL history. It went past the previous best of 167 not out by Abhishek Sharma and Travis Head for SRH in 2024, underlining just how dominant the knock was.
One over in particular summed up the way the innings unfolded. Facing Aiden Markram, the duo went on the attack and smashed five sixes, collecting 32 runs in the over. That is now the most runs conceded by a Lucknow Super Giants bowler in a single over in IPL history. The earlier record was 27, conceded by Ravi Bishnoi against RCB in 2022.
Even though both batters missed out on centuries, their individual efforts still stand out. Cooper Connolly’s 87 against LSG is now his highest score in T20 cricket, going past his previous best of 77 for Perth Scorchers in 2025. He had also scored an unbeaten 72 for PBKS earlier in the season, but this innings carried a different weight given the situation.
Priyansh Arya’s 93 was equally important. It is now his second-highest score in the IPL, behind his 103 against CSK in 2025. The way he paced his innings and kept the pressure on the bowlers made it one of his most complete knocks so far.
The power-hitting was not limited to just the two of them. PBKS’ top three ended up smashing 16 sixes in the innings, which equals the franchise record for the most sixes by the top order in a single IPL game. They had previously hit 16 against KKR in 2024.
By the time the innings wrapped up, it was clear that this was more than just a strong batting performance. Priyansh Arya and Cooper Connolly had produced a partnership that rewrote multiple records and gave Punjab Kings one of their most memorable nights in the IPL.