In a must-win clash at the Bharat Ratna Shri Atal Bihari Vajpayee Ekana Cricket Stadium, Punjab Kings (PBKS) defeated Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) by 7 wickets with 12 balls to spare in the 68th match of IPL 2026. PBKS chased down a target of 197 with ease, powered by a brilliant unbeaten century from skipper Shreyas Iyer.
Lucknow Super Giants post a strong total
PBKS won the toss and elected to field first under lights. LSG, already out of playoff contention, looked to end their disappointing season on a high note. However, things started poorly when opener Arshin Kulkarni fell for a golden duck on the very first ball. Josh Inglis held the innings together with a solid 72 off 44 balls, including 9 fours and 2 sixes. Ayush Badoni provided a quickfire 43 off just 18 deliveries, smashing 5 fours and 3 sixes, while Abdul Samad remained unbeaten on 37. Rishabh Pant managed 26 before falling. LSG finished at 196/6 in 20 overs.
PBKS bowlers kept things tight despite some expensive spells. Yuzvendra Chahal and Marco Jansen picked up two wickets each, while Arshdeep Singh went for 52 runs in his three overs without a wicket.
Punjab Kings chase lights up Lucknow
The chase got off to a shaky start as Priyansh Arya departed for a duck. Prabhsimran Singh then blasted 69 off 39 balls to set a strong platform. But the real hero was Shreyas Iyer, who played with supreme confidence, scoring an unbeaten 101 off just 51 balls (11 fours and 5 sixes). He reached his maiden IPL ton in style and guided the team home comfortably alongside Suryansh Shedge (9 not out). PBKS reached 200/3 in 18 overs.
Mohammed Shami and Arjun Tendulkar took two and one wickets, respectively, for LSG, but the bowling attack lacked the firepower to stop Iyer's masterclass.
Key performances that decided the game
Shreyas Iyer's knock stood out as the match-winning effort and rightly earned him Player of the Match. His ability to build an innings while accelerating at the right time turned the game in PBKS's favour. For LSG, Josh Inglis's batting was a bright spot in an otherwise forgettable season.
This result sums up LSG's campaign: plenty of fight but not enough consistency. For PBKS, Shreyas Iyer's heroics have kept their IPL 2026 dreams alive heading into the business end of the tournament.
