New Delhi: Punjab Kings put on a record-breaking performance in the IPL to become the first team in the history of T20 cricket to successfully chase down a total of 200-plus 10 times. His latest feat came in a thrilling six-wicket win over Sunrisers Hyderabad, when Shreyas Iyer scored an unbeaten 69.Chasing a tough 220 in Chandigarh, Punjab got off to a flying start thanks to Priyansh Arya and Prabhasmaran Singh. Arya was particularly explosive, scoring 57 off just 20 balls, while Prabhasmaran scored 51.
The duo put on a 99-run opening stand, which put Hyderabad under intense pressure at the start of the chase.However, the game took a turn when left-arm wrist spinner Shivang Kumar countered with three quick wickets, removing both the openers and Cooper Connolly. At this stage, Punjab needed stability, and skipper Iyer stepped up. He led the first innings and then quickly reached his fifty in just 24 balls.Iyer was supported by Nihal Vadhira, the pair adding 69 runs to get the chase back on track. Punjab remained in control even after Vadhira’s dismissal. Most teams chasing a target of more than 200 (IPL)
- 10 – PBKS
- 6 – Mi
- 5 – RR
- 4 – SRH
- 4 – RCB
- The next highest number of players for any team in men’s T20s is seven from Australia.
Shashank Singh then joined Iyer and finished the job comfortably, hitting the winning boundary to seal a memorable victory. Shashank also played a key role with the ball earlier, returning figures of 2/20.Earlier, Sunrisers Hyderabad posted a mammoth 219/6, led by Abhishek Sharma and Travis Head. The pair added 120 runs for the first wicket, with Abhishek scoring 74 off just 28 balls, including eight sixes. Head contributed a brisk 38, as Hyderabad dominated the early stages.However, Punjab fought back through Shashank Singh, who dismissed both the openers in quick succession to slow down the scoring. While Henrik Klaasen (39) and Ishan Kishan (27) tried to rebuild, Hyderabad continued to lose wickets at crucial moments and fell just short of a big total.With the win, Punjab Kings remained unbeaten in the tournament, registering their third victory in four matches and underlining their growing reputation as one of the most dangerous chasing teams in T20 cricket.
