Image: Priyansh Arya’s blistering century powers Punjab Kings past CSK in style / © India Today
The battle of the Kings at the Maharaja Yadavindra Singh International Cricket Stadium in Mullanpur saw Punjab Kings return to winning ways with a commanding 18-run victory over Chennai Super Kings in the 22nd match of IPL 2025. In a contest marked by explosive batting, a milestone hundred, and some dramatic turns, it was Priyansh Arya’s extraordinary century that lit up the night and turned the tide in Punjab’s favour.
After being asked to bat first by Chennai, Punjab Kings got off to a rocky start with Prabhsimran Singh falling for a two-ball duck in the second over. But what followed was a spectacle as 22-year-old Priyansh Arya unleashed a blistering assault on the CSK bowlers. In only his fourth IPL match, Arya showcased elite-level power-hitting, scoring 103 runs from just 42 balls. His innings, laced with seven boundaries and nine towering sixes, came at a breathtaking strike rate of 245.23 and was among the fastest centuries in IPL history, reaching in only 39 balls.
Though wickets kept tumbling at the other end as Shreyas Iyer (9), Marcus Stoinis (4), Nehal Wadhera (9), and Glenn Maxwell (1) all fell cheaply. But Arya’s dominance kept Punjab charging forward. His 154-run partnership alongside the lower order laid the foundation for a big total. Once Arya fell in the 14th over, caught off Noor Ahmad, Shashank Singh and Marco Jansen kept the momentum going with a powerful finish.
Shashank, batting at No. 7, contributed a vital unbeaten 52 off 36 balls with two fours and three sixes. Jansen’s cameo of 34 not out from 19 deliveries, including two boundaries and two sixes, helped push Punjab’s total to a formidable 219 for 6 in 20 overs.
The duo added 65 runs for the seventh wicket, capitalising on a CSK side that looked sloppy in the field, dropping as many as five catches. Among CSK’s bowlers, Khaleel Ahmed and Ravichandran Ashwin were the only ones to pick up two wickets each, but both were expensive. Ashwin conceded 48 in his four overs, while Khaleel gave away 45. Matheesha Pathirana had a night to forget, being smashed for 52 runs in his quota.
Chasing a steep target of 220, CSK began positively, with Rachin Ravindra and Devon Conway putting on 61 runs for the opening stand. Ravindra struck 36 off 23 balls before being stumped off the bowling of Maxwell. Soon after, skipper Ruturaj Gaikwad’s poor run continued as he was dismissed for just 1, caught off Lockie Ferguson.
Conway remained CSK’s pillar during the chase, crafting a patient 69 off 49 balls, including six fours and two sixes. However, his innings ended in an unusual fashion, retired out in the 18th over, making him the second player to do so this season after Tilak Varma. While this tactic was presumably aimed at accelerating the scoring rate, it failed to produce the desired impact.
Shivam Dube kept Chennai in the hunt with a counter-attacking 42 off 27 balls, striking three boundaries and two sixes. His partnership with Conway added 89 runs and helped bring CSK back into the contest. However, Dube’s dismissal at a crucial juncture in the 16th over pegged CSK back again. MS Dhoni walked in and thrilled the crowd with a vintage cameo, scoring 27 off just 12 balls at a strike rate of 225, hitting one four and three sixes.
Despite Dhoni’s late fireworks and the team reaching 200 in the penultimate ball, the target proved too steep. CSK ended at 201/5, 18 runs short of the total. Lockie Ferguson starred with the ball for Punjab, picking up two important wickets (Gaikwad and Dube), while Yash Thakur and Glenn Maxwell chipped in with one apiece. Punjab’s bowlers held their nerve in the death overs, with Ferguson conceding only 10 in the final over to seal the win.
This loss handed Chennai their fourth consecutive defeat, leaving them struggling at the bottom of the table with just two points from five matches. It also extended a troubling trend, they have now failed to chase a target over 180 for the 11th straight time in the IPL, a streak going back to 2020. On the other hand, the win took Punjab Kings to six points from four games, climbing to fourth in the standings. Priyansh Arya was deservedly named Player of the Match as his performance not just set up the win, but also potentially marked the arrival of a new batting star in Indian cricket.
As the league heats up, Punjab will look to build on this momentum, while Chennai have some serious thinking to do, particularly around their batting approach and bowling strategy in the powerplay and death overs. The clash of the Kings ended in favour of the home side, but more importantly, it threw up the name of Priyansh Arya, who is an explosive top-order talent who might just be knocking on the national doors sooner than expected.
The whole match between CSK and PBKS was a blockbuster, but when it comes to choosing the TCNI’s Magic Moment of the Game, Priyansh Arya’s fearless assault on Matheesha Pathirana stood out as pure fireworks. Facing the Sri Lankan speedster in the 13th over, Arya was already well-set, but what followed stunned even the most loyal CSK fans. Pathirana, known for his deceptive pace and toe-crushing yorkers, was taken apart by the young Delhi batter with brutal elegance. It started with a jaw-dropping shot, a low full toss outside off that Arya sent soaring over deep point.
One ball later, he rocked back and launched a short one over long-on. Then came a third six, this time pulled effortlessly over square leg, as the crowd erupted. And finally, with a streaky edge past short third, Arya brought up his maiden IPL century off just 45 balls, a defining moment in his young career. He removed his helmet and soaked in the applause, having dismantled one of the league’s top bowlers. Against the five-time champions, Arya showed composure, power, and class, etching his name into IPL history.
The TCNI’s Hero of the Day obviously goes to Priyansh Arya for his breathtaking century against Chennai Super Kings in one of the most exciting matches of the season. Opening the innings for Punjab Kings, Arya played fearless cricket from the very beginning. He smashed 103 runs off just 42 balls with nine sixes and seven boundaries, leaving the CSK bowlers searching for answers. His strike rate of 245 was a clear sign of the destruction he caused at the top. Even as wickets kept falling around him, Arya held his ground and attacked with confidence.
Punjab Kings were 83 for 5 at one stage, but Arya’s aggressive stroke play kept the scoreboard moving. He brought up his hundred with a lucky four but had already thrilled the crowd with three sixes in one over from Pathirana. His memorable knock ended in the 14th over, but not before putting his team in a strong position at 154 for 6. Later, Shashank Singh’s 52 not out and Marco Jansen’s 34 helped Punjab post 219 for 6 in their 20 overs. But it was Arya’s century that stood out as the turning point and the highlight of the match.