Shreyas Iyer kept Punjab Kings alive in the IPL 2026 playoff race with a maiden IPL century that arrived in the most emphatic way possible, a winning six when only three runs were needed off 13 balls against Lucknow Super Giants.
Punjab had entered the match at the Ekana Stadium with no room left for another slip. Their campaign had been damaged by six straight defeats, and another loss would have pushed them to the edge of elimination. Instead, Iyer produced the innings Punjab desperately needed, staying unbeaten on 101 and taking them to a seven-wicket win in a chase of 197.
LSG had earlier posted 196/6 after Punjab chose to bowl first. Josh Inglis gave Lucknow the main push with 72 off 44 balls, while Ayush Badoni’s 43 off 18 and Abdul Samad’s unbeaten 37 off 20 turned the innings into a serious test for Punjab. The total demanded control under pressure, and Punjab’s chase almost cracked at the start.
Mohammed Shami struck with the first ball of the innings to remove Priyansh Arya and later bowled Cooper Connolly for 18. At 22/2 in the third over, Punjab were staring at another familiar collapse. The scoreboard had pressure, the points table had pressure, and the season had pressure. Iyer walked into all of it and refused to let the chase slip.
Iyer and Prabhsimran rebuild Punjab’s chase
The rescue came through Iyer and Prabhsimran Singh. Prabhsimran attacked with 69 off 39 balls and gave Punjab the tempo they needed after the early blows. Iyer held the chase together from the other end, first absorbing the pressure and then taking control once the innings settled.
Their 140-run partnership changed the match completely. LSG had Punjab pinned down early, but the stand dragged the chase back into Punjab’s hands. Prabhsimran’s aggression forced Lucknow to defend rather than attack, while Iyer kept finding the right boundary at the right stage.
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Arjun Tendulkar eventually trapped Prabhsimran lbw, giving himself a notable wicket, but the dismissal came after Punjab had already broken the back of the chase. The equation had moved from dangerous to manageable. Iyer still had work to do, and he made sure there was no late twist.
The decisive assault came against Shami in the 16th over. Iyer smashed three sixes in the over, moving rapidly into the 90s and reducing the chase to a formality. Shami had hurt Punjab early, but Shreyas Iyer’s counterattack took the sting out of LSG’s defence and turned the final stretch into a race between the target and his hundred.
Captain keeps Punjab alive
The final moment carried perfect theatre. Punjab needed only three runs off 13 balls, and Iyer needed a maximum to complete his century. He chose the cleanest finish, launching the ball for six to reach his maiden IPL hundred and seal the chase in one stroke.
The win does not guarantee Punjab Kings a playoff spot. They still need other results to fall their way. But it keeps them alive, and that is the immediate significance of Iyer’s innings.
Punjab’s season had been losing breath after six straight defeats. Iyer gave it oxygen with a hundred built on control, timing and authority. The captain did not just finish a chase. He kept Punjab Kings in the hunt.