IMAGES from the IPL match between Punjab Kings and Chennai Super Kings in Mullanpur on Tuesday
Rookie opener Priyansh Arya delivered on his high promise with a sensational hundred before the bowlers survived M S Dhoni's late onslaught to script an 18-run win for Punjab Kings over Chennai Super Kings in the IPL in Mullanpur on Tuesday.
Priyansh (103 off 42) powered Punjab Kings to 219 for six, the highest total at the venue, after the hosts lost half their side inside the first eight overs.
CSK batters have not been good enough thus far in the season but the likes of Devon Conway (69 off 49 retired out), Rachin Ravindra (36 off 23) and Shivam Dube (42 off 27) were able to take the game deep on this occasion. However, CSK fell short and ended at 201 for five.
It was CSK's fourth loss in five games while Punjab Kings recorded their third win in four matches.
The equation for CSK came down to 75 runs off the last 30 balls. Much to the delight of fans present at the venue, Dhoni (27 off 12) came to bat at number five after Dube's fall in the 16th over.
With Dube going ballistic in the middle overs, Punjab Kings had to wait till the 17th over to get their main spinner Yuzvendra Chahal into operation.
It was Lockie Ferguson's turn to bowl the 18th over and that was when Dhoni provided a glimmer of hope for CSK with two sixes off as many balls. However, 43 off the last 12 balls ended up being too much for the away team.
Punjab Kings were poor in the field, dropping as many as four catches but were still able to get over the line.
The night belonged to Priyansh, the 24-year-old from Delhi who rose to prominence with six sixes in an over in a local league last year.
He flaunted his special six-hitting skills on the national stage to lift Punjab Kings to an above par total. His knock included seven boundaries and nine hits over the fence.
The commendable recovery was also made possible by Shashank Singh (52 not out off 36 balls) who made sure Punjab Kings cash in on the platform laid by Arya. Number eight Marco Jansen (34 not out off 19) also played his part to perfection.
Head coach Ricky Ponting had spoken highly of Arya at the start of the season and on Tuesday, the left-hander repaid the immense faith which the Australian legend showed on him.
After two successive failures, Arya was under pressure but the way he started his innings, slaying pacer Khaleel Ahmed for six over point, set the tone for his memorable effort.
Arya loves smashing sixes down the ground but after picking the brains of Ponting, he seems to have upped his game square of the wicket. With the ease he deposited Matheesha Pathirana's short balls in the 13th over was a testament to that.
After three straight sixes off the Sri Lanka pacer, the next one was a four towards third man off a mis-hit that took him to three figures.
What also stood out in Arya's stellar knock was the manner he played veteran spinner R Ashwin. He collected three sixes off Ashwin though one of them should have been a catch at the boundary.
CSK's leading wicket taker Noor Ahmed was introduced in the 11th over and and Shahank welcomed him into the attack with a massive six over wide long-on.
While Arya stole the show, Shashank struck the ball crisply building on his breakaway last season.
An ordinary bowling effort from CSK allowed Punjab Kings to come back in the game and eventually gain the upperhand.
Ashwin leaked 48 runs in his four overs and Pathirana 52 runs in his quota of overs.
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