Punjab Kings ended a painful six-match losing streak on May 23 with a seven-wicket win over Lucknow Super Giants at the Ekana Cricket Stadium in Lucknow. The man at the centre of it all was captain Shreyas Iyer, who scored an unbeaten 101 off 51 balls, his first-ever IPL century, to chase down a target of 197 with 12 balls to spare.
The result puts PBKS back in the top four on the IPL 2026 points table, with 15 points from 14 games. Whether they hold that spot depends on the results on Sunday.
How Shreyas Iyer Took the Game Away from LSG
The Punjab Kings were in a difficult position early. Priyansh Arya fell on the very first ball of the chase to Mohammed Shami, and Cooper Connolly followed soon after for 18. PBKS were 22 for 2 inside three overs.
Iyer walked in and found an immediate partnership with Prabhsimran Singh. The two put on 140 runs for the third wicket. Prabhsimran was aggressive and decisive, hitting 69 off 39 balls before falling in the 15th over. By then, the game was already shifting firmly in PBKS’ favour.
Iyer was 61 off 36 when Punjab still needed 47 to win. He did not slow down. He launched Arjun Tendulkar for back-to-back fours, then hit Mohammed Shami for three sixes in one over. He reached his century off 51 balls, finishing with 11 fours and 5 sixes at a strike rate of 198. It was the kind of innings that removed all doubt.
LSG’s Innings Had Promise But Fell Short
Lucknow Super Giants were already without Mitchell Marsh and Aiden Markram, both having returned home. They fielded just two overseas players in their XI, and the limitations showed in a total that, while competitive, was ultimately not enough.
Josh Inglis top-scored with 72 off 44 balls, though his innings had quiet patches in the middle. Ayush Badoni produced a sharp cameo of 43 off 18 balls to push LSG past 150. Rishabh Pant, coming in at number five, made 26 before Yuzvendra Chahal dismissed him. Chahal was the pick of the PBKS bowlers, taking 2 for 25 in four overs.
Abdul Samad contributed 37 not out off 20 balls at the death, including 17 runs off the final over against Arshdeep Singh. LSG finished at 196 for 6, a score that looked par but ultimately proved about ten runs short.
Arshdeep had a difficult night, conceding 52 runs in three overs at an economy of 17.33.
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What Punjab Kings Need to Qualify for the IPL 2026 Playoffs
PBKS now sit fourth with a net run rate of +0.309. Their qualification scenario is straightforward on paper — they need Rajasthan Royals to lose to Mumbai Indians in the afternoon game on May 24. If RR win, they reach 16 points and secure fourth place, pushing PBKS out.
Kolkata Knight Riders, with 13 points from 13 games, also remain in contention. They face the eliminated Delhi Capitals at Eden Gardens on Sunday evening. To leapfrog PBKS on net run rate, KKR would need to win by at least 77 runs if they score 200, or chase down any target in roughly 12 overs. That is a tall order.
For now, PBKS have done their part. Iyer’s century has given the team a result and a fighting chance heading into the final weekend of the IPL 2026 league stage.
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