Shreyas Iyer's Maiden IPL Century Keeps PBKS' Playoff Hopes Alive
Lucknow : Josh Inglis's explosive innings of 72 propelled Lucknow Super Giants to a formidable 196 against Punjab Kings in the IPL 2026 match in Lucknow on Saturday.
Shreyas Iyer smashed an unbeaten century to secure a vital victory for Punjab Kings against LSG. Punjab Kings' qualification to the IPL 2026 playoffs depends on Rajasthan Royal's match against Mumbai Indians on Sunday.
Josh Inglis scored a rapid 72, boosting Lucknow Super Giants to 196/6 against Punjab Kings. Inglis and Ayush Badoni forged a crucial partnership, rescuing Lucknow from an early batting collapse.
Punjab Kings rediscovered their winning touch after six defeats in a row through skipper Shreyas Iyer's majestic unbeaten 101 as they handed Lucknow Super Giants a seven-wicket hammering to stay alive in the IPL 2026 playoffs race in Lucknow on Saturday.
Shreyas, whose maiden IPL hundred came off 51 balls, and Prabhsimran Singh (69 from 39 balls) added 140 runs for the third wicket as Punjab chased down LSG's 196 for two in 18 overs.
The victory helped Punjab to reach 15 points from their all 14 league engagements to reclaim the No. 4 position on the table.
But now, they will have to go through an excruciating wait to know their fate as Rajasthan Royals (14) are taking on Mumbai Indians on Sunday at Mumbai.
If RR lose the game then Punjab will enter the playoffs as the fourth placed team with 15 points.
The Kolkata Knight Riders (13 points), who are up against Delhi Capitals in the weekend's second clash, too have an outside chance should RR fail to go past MI.
In that case, it will be a battle of net run rate between KKR and PBKS, with both tied on 15 points. Royal Challengers Bengaluru, Sunrisers Hyderabad and Gujarat Titans are already in the knockouts.
But the equation worries are for another time, as Shreyas showed his steely nerves while chasing yet again with a fabulous knock.
Opener Priyansh Arya fell to a first-ball duck to Mohammad Shami (2/45) and the veteran India pacer uprooted Cooper Connolly's off-stump as PBKS plunged into turmoil.
But Shreyas was least bothered about those early impediments, and as expected, lorded over spinners and pacers alike with drives, pulls and those trademark flicks off pads.
He was severe on spinners Digvesh Rathe, scorching him for a flurry of onside boundaries, and Prabshimran, who got reprieves on 20 and 62, backed his leader with aplomb
Prabshimran reached his sixth fifty of the season off 26 balls while his senior partner reached that mark in 33 balls.
Once he crossed fifty from 33 balls, Shreyas wore the cape of an enforcer, and the next 51 runs came off just 18 balls.
The dismissal of Prabshimran, who fell leg before to left-arm pacer Arjun Tendulkar, was a minor aberration as Punjab reached him with ease.
Shreyas, who reached his hundred with a six off Mohsin Khan that also signalled PBKS' win, also pummelled Shami for three sixes in an over to speed his side to victory march.
Josh Inglis made a typically punishing 72, guiding Lucknow Super Giants to a healthy 196 for six against Punjab Kings.
Inglis and Pant (26) added 65 runs for the fourth wicket as the already-eliminated Lucknow Super Giants recovered from a shaky 69 for three in the seventh over.
Inglis 42-ball innings had two phases in it. The first part contained an opening over assault on Arshdeep Singh, four fours fetching the Aussie 16 runs.
But then he left the stage for Ayush Badoni, who came to the crease after the early dismissal of Arshin Kulkarni, who opened in the place of Mitchell Marsh, and Nicholas Pooran.
Badoni took the centre stage in some style, making an 18-ball 43 and added 49 runs for the third wicket with Inglis.
He creamed Azmatuallah Omarzai, the No.1 all rounder as per ICC rankings, for 24 runs in the fifth over, and the run glut included a sequence of 4, 6, 6, 4.
It helped LSG recover from the early departures of two top-order batters and end the power play at a rather fine 66 for two.
But Badoni's daredevilry ended soon as Prabhsimran Singh effected a smart stumping off Yuzvendra Chahal, and DRS upheld its validity.
However, Inglis woke up from his stupor with a slew of sparkling shots around the ground, and he started the second segment of his innings smashing a six, four and four in a row of Arshdeep.
In all, Inglis milked Arshdeep for six fours and two sixes, extending the India left-arm pacer's lean season.
It brought Pant and Inglis together. Pant, who was dropped on 18 by Shreyas Iyer at covers off Chahal, was not at his fluent best, but stayed there to give some valuable company to Inglis.
The Aussie right-hander reached his fifty in 28 balls but lost the company of Pant, who fell to Chahal (2/25).
Inglis eventually fell to part-timer Shahshank Singh, giving an easy catch to Shreyas, who had stationed himself at a more straight long-on position.
Abdul Samad (37 not out from 20 balls) belted a couple of big hits but once Mukul Choudhary fell to Marco Jansen (2/33) cheaply, LSG's hopes of crossing 200 evaporated.
Arjun Tendulkar, son of legendary Sachin Tendulkar, made a rare IPL appearance, playing in his sixth match in the league.
Shreyas Iyer smashed a brilliant 51-ball 101 not out to register his maiden century in the IPL. Shreyas is the third Punjab Kings batter to hit a century in the IPL after Adam Gilchrist (2011) and K L Rahul (2020).
Arshdeep Singh conceded 50-plus runs with the ball for the seventh time in his IPL career -- the most by a Punjab Kings bowler. Josh Inglis smashed his three half-century in five games played in IPL 2026, having scored 13, 85, 36, 60 and 72 in the five innings played this season.
Yuzvendra Chahal dismissed Rishabh Pant for the fourth time in T20 cricket. This season, Nicholas Pooran has managed just 130 runs in seven innings at a strike rate of 115.04 at LSG's home ground -- at the Ekana Cricket Stadium in Lucknow.
Next Matches:
May 24, 2026, 3.30 pm IST: Mumbai Indians vs Rajasthan Royals, Wankhede Stadium, Mumbai.
May 24, 2026, 7.30 pm IST: Kolkata Knight Riders vs Delhi Capitals, Eden Gardens, Kolkata.
