Punjab Kings‘ young opener, Priyansh Arya, recently made waves in his debut IPL season with an impressive century against Chennai Super Kings. He attributes his incredible performance to his instinctive approach to the game, a skill that was nurtured with some guidance from his captain, Shreyas Iyer.
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Arya, who hails from the Delhi Premier League, really lit up the stadium with his phenomenal century, hitting the milestone in just 39 balls. This earned him the record for the fastest century by an uncapped player and marked it as the fifth fastest century ever in IPL history. His remarkable innings of 103 runs off just 42 deliveries included an astonishing 9 sixes and 7 fours. This show of power was instrumental in leading his team to a massive total of 219 runs, despite some early wickets falling around him.
When asked what encouraged him to tap into his explosive potential, Arya credited Iyer for motivating him to stay true to his natural style of play. “I’m not much of an expressive person, but I felt great inside,” Arya shared. He recalled how in a previous match, Iyer had told him to back his instincts and play the way he felt comfortable.
Coming into this match, Arya was feeling the pressure. In his last innings, he had faced Jofra Archer and got out on the very first ball, so this time he really stepped it up. Right from the first ball of his innings, he hit a sensational six off Khaleel Ahmed, which set a confident tone for his performance. He actually joined an elite group by being only the fourth player in IPL history to hit a six on the first ball he faced.
“I was really looking forward to that first ball. I thought, if it’s in my zone, I’m definitely going for a six,” Arya explained. He expressed his desire to play freely without holding back.
As his innings progressed, Arya ultimately got out in the 14th over when CSK spinner Noor Ahmed, who is currently leading the IPL 2025 Purple Cap race, took his wicket. After Arya’s dismissal, his teammates didn’t quite find their rhythm initially; players like Prabhsimran Singh, Shreyas Iyer, Marcus Stoinis, Nehal Wadhera, and Glenn Maxwell all fell early, struggling to score many runs.
However, Shashank Singh, along with Marco Jansen, turned things around. They played a standout partnership that helped Punjab sail past the 200-run mark, putting together a vital 65-run stand towards the end. Shashank capped his innings with an unbeaten fifty, hitting his last runs on the final ball and showing that even in pressure situations, the team could bounce back with determination.
