Shreyas Iyer Joins Elite IPL Century Club as PBKS Secures Crucial Win

Shreyas Iyer made history by scoring a century during a crucial IPL match, becoming the fourth captain to achieve this feat in run-chases. His performance helped Punjab Kings secure a much-needed victory against Lucknow Super Giants, ending a six-match losing streak. With this win, PBKS is back in the playoff race, but the competition remains fierce. Explore the match details, Iyer's records, and what this means for the team's future in the tournament.

By Narendra Chaudhary May 24, 2026, 14:33 IST

Iyer's Historic Century

In a remarkable performance, Shreyas Iyer, captain of Punjab Kings (PBKS), became the fourth player in Indian Premier League (IPL) history to score a century while chasing a target. This achievement came during a crucial match against Lucknow Super Giants (LSG), where he scored an impressive 101 not out off 51 balls, featuring 11 boundaries and five sixes, achieving a strike rate of 198.04.

Joining the Ranks of IPL Greats

Iyer's century places him alongside notable players such as Virender Sehwag, Virat Kohli, and Sanju Samson, who have also scored centuries in run-chases. Sehwag's record stands at 119 runs against Deccan Chargers in 2011, Kohli scored 108 not out against Rising Pune Super Giant in 2016, and Samson hit 119 against PBKS in 2021, according to Cricbuzz.

Additional Milestones Achieved

In addition to his century, Iyer became the third PBKS captain to achieve this feat, following KL Rahul (132* vs Royal Challengers Bengaluru in 2020) and Adam Gilchrist (106 vs Royal Challengers Bengaluru in 2011). Furthermore, he surpassed 7,000 runs in T20 cricket, amassing 7,076 runs in 254 matches, with an average of 35.02 and a strike rate exceeding 135, including four centuries and 48 half-centuries.

Iyer's IPL Performance This Season

Throughout the current IPL season, Iyer has accumulated 498 runs in 13 innings, boasting an average of 55.33 and a strike rate of 168.01, which includes one century and five fifties, with his highest score being 101*.

Match Summary: PBKS vs LSG

In the match, PBKS chose to bowl first. Key contributions came from Josh Inglis, who scored 72 runs off 44 balls, Ayush Badoni with 43 runs off 18 balls, and Abdul Samad, who finished with 37 not out off 20 balls, leading LSG to a total of 196/6 in 20 overs. For PBKS, Yuzvendra Chahal and Marco Jansen were the standout bowlers, taking two wickets each.

During the chase, Iyer's stellar performance (101* off 51 balls) alongside Prabhsimran Singh, who scored 69 runs off 39 balls, propelled PBKS to victory, ending their six-match losing streak with a win by seven wickets and two overs to spare.

Playoff Scenarios

With this victory, PBKS climbed back to the fourth position in the points table, holding seven wins and six losses for a total of 15 points. The playoff scenario remains tense; if Rajasthan Royals (RR) wins against Mumbai Indians (MI) today, PBKS will be eliminated. Conversely, if RR loses, Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) must defeat Delhi Capitals (DC) by a significant margin to surpass PBKS in net run rate and tie them on points.