Punjab Kings responded brilliantly to Delhi Capitals’ massive total, with openers Priyansh Arya and Prabhasmaran Singh tearing through the attack to rewrite powerplay records in IPL 2026.After a difficult 264 KL RahulK’s unbeaten 152 and Nitish RanaK91 took Delhi to 264 for 2, Punjab need a fearless start. What followed was one of the most explosive powerplay displays in IPL history. Arya and Prabhasmaran took the DC bowlers to the cleaners, reaching 100 in just 5.2 overs, the second-fastest team century in IPL history. Only Sunrisers Hyderabad have gone faster, reaching that mark in 5 overs against Delhi at the same venue in 2024.By the end of the powerplay, Punjab had reached 116 for no loss, the second-highest powerplay total in the IPL. The opening pair showed no signs of pressure despite a tight chase, attacking from the start and maintaining a consistent scoring rate.Arya set the tone early with a strong start, taking the bowlers’ onslaught in the powerplay. His aggressive intent was perfectly matched by Prabhasmiran, who continued his fine form with a brilliant strike of his own. The right-hander scored an unbeaten 71 off just 23 balls in the Powerplay, registering the highest individual score in 1-6 overs in IPL history.The style of both completely changed the narrative of the match. What looked like a formidable total quickly began to feel within reach as the Delhi bowlers struggled to stem the flow of runs. Boundaries came at will, and field placement was rendered ineffective as both batsmen found gaps with ease and cleared the ropes regularly.The stand eventually broke after the power play, but not before any significant damage was done. Arya scored 43 runs off 17 balls and was dismissed by the captain. Akshar PatelWhile Prabhasmaran’s explosive innings ended on 76 off just 26 balls when he was bowled lbw by Kuldeep Yadav.Earlier, Delhi Capitals dominated the proceedings with the bat. Rahul’s 152 not out, the highest score by an Indian in IPL history, and Rana’s 91 came in a record partnership of 220 off just 96 balls. That effort set up what looked like a match-winning tomorrow.
