Dharamsala, May 4 (UNI) Punjab Kings (PBKS) soared to second place on the IPL points table after outclassing Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) by 37 runs in a high-scoring clash at the HPCA Stadium here on Sunday, powered by a blistering 91 from Prabhsimran Singh and impactful knocks from Shreyas Iyer, Shashank Singh and Marcus Stoinis.
Inserted to bat first, Punjab unleashed a batting onslaught to post a season-best 236 for 5 in their 20 overs and then restricted the visitors to 199 for 7, sealing a comprehensive victory that strengthens their playoff ambitions.
Prabhsimran dazzled with a 48-ball 91 — laced with six boundaries and seven sixes — anchoring the innings after the early loss of debutant Priyansh Arya (1). The opener punished anything loose, especially capitalising on a dropped chance at 48 to tear into Avesh Khan in the 18th over.
Josh Inglis (30 off 14) provided the initial impetus with three back-to-back sixes off Mayank Yadav, while skipper Shreyas Iyer (45 off 25) held the innings together through the middle overs, adding 78 with Prabhsimran for the third wicket.
The finishing touches came from Shashank Singh (33* off 15) and Marcus Stoinis (15* off 5), who hammered the LSG bowlers at the death, lifting Punjab to a daunting total.
In reply, Lucknow's chase never quite took off. Punjab bowlers kept a tight leash throughout the innings, striking regularly and denying the hosts any momentum. Despite crossing the 190-run mark, LSG never truly threatened the target, with no batter managing to anchor the innings.
Akash Maharaj Singh stood out with figures of 2 for 30, while Digvesh Singh Rathi claimed 2 for 46. But the rest of the LSG attack was severely punished, with Avesh Khan leaking 57 and Mayank Yadav conceding 60 runs.
The victory pushes PBKS into second position on the standings, boosting both morale and net run rate, while LSG were left to reflect on another lacklustre bowling performance and missed opportunities in the field.
Brief Scores:
Punjab Kings: 236/5 in 20 overs (Prabhsimran Singh 91, Shreyas Iyer 45, Shashank Singh 33*, Akash Maharaj Singh 2/30, Digvesh Rathi 2/46)*
Lucknow Super Giants: 199/7 in 20 overs
Punjab Kings won by 37 runs. UNI BDN SSP