Lucknow Super Giants pacer Mohammed Shami scripted a record by claiming a wicket on the first ball against Punjab Kings on Saturday. As PBKS began their chase of 197 runs, Shami bowled the first over and dismissed Priyansh Arya on the very first delivery. He bowled a bouncer, forcing a miscue from the southpaw. The ball lobbed to a fielder at mid-wicket. With it, Shami became the first bowler to claim a wicket on the first ball of an IPL innings six times. He surpassed Jofra Archerwho has achieved the feat five times in the tournament.
Shreyas Iyer played a captain’s knock as Punjab Kings beat Lucknow Super Giants by seven wickets on Saturday to stay alive in the IPL 2026 playoff race.
Chasing a target of 197, Iyer’s 101 not out off 51 balls took PBKS home in 18 overs. Prabhsimran Singh also smashed 69 off 39 to aid the cause.
Punjab found themselves in trouble after losing two wickets for 22 runs in 2.2 overs, but Iyer’s unbeaten knock guided them through.
“I’m ecstatic, to be honest. It’s my first hundred of the season and it came at the right time when the team needed it. We won eventually after six consecutive losses. It’s a great positive and just hoping to support MI tomorrow,” said the PBKS captain, whose knock put an end to his side’s six-match losing streak.
“I know if I give myself some time in the middle and time the ball as much as possible, rather than getting on top of the ball and trying to score off a good ball. I feel it’s necessary for me to stay out there as much as possible because then the runs keep coming,” he added.
Iyer revealed that he told PBKS head coach Ricky Ponting not to have any team meeting ahead of the game against LSG.
“Today, I literally told Ricky that let’s not do any team meetings. Let’s just head to the ground and do our rituals, which we’ve been doing consistently, and we could see the result,” Iyer concluded.
In the first innings, Josh Inglis slammed 72 off 44 balls as LSG posted 196 for 6. LSG were reduced to 20 for 2 before Inglis and Ayush Badoni (43 off 18) brought them back into the game with a 49-run partnership. Badoni missed his half-century, but Inglis took his innings deep, smashing nine fours and two sixes. Abdul Samad scored a crucial 37 not out off 20 towards the end. Marco Jansen and Yuzvendra Chahal Picked up two wickets apiece.
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