Priyansh Arya Shatters IPL Record with Fastest Century by Uncapped Player

Arya's Historic Performance Leads Punjab Kings to Victory

In a thrilling match filled with excitement for Mahendra Singh Dhoni, it was Punjab Kings' emerging star Priyansh Arya who captured the limelight by scoring the fastest century by an uncapped player in IPL history on Tuesday. Arya's explosive 103 runs off just 42 deliveries propelled Punjab Kings to an impressive 18-run victory over Chennai Super Kings, marking their first home win of the season. His remarkable innings helped the team achieve a record total of 219/6 at this venue.

Despite Arya's heroics, Punjab Kings faced a few tense moments due to subpar fielding, with dropped catches and missed run-out opportunities nearly costing them the match. Nevertheless, the pressure of the scoreboard proved too much for Chennai, who fell short in their chase.

Dhoni, batting at No. 5, ignited hopes for Chennai with two consecutive sixes in the 18th over, but ultimately fell on the first ball of the final over, caught at short fine leg, dashing Chennai's chances. Earlier, Devon Conway (69 off 49) and Shivam Dube (42 off 27) had set a solid foundation with an 89-run partnership, but once Dube was dismissed, all eyes turned to Dhoni. Skipper Ruturaj Gaikwad (1) struggled, and Rachin Ravindra (36 off 23) couldn't capitalize on his start.

Arya's record-breaking innings began with a stroke of luck when he was dropped by Khaleel Ahmed on just the second ball. The 24-year-old, who previously hit six sixes in an over during the Delhi Premier League, showcased his power-hitting skills by smashing nine sixes and seven fours throughout his innings.

His fearless batting style lifted Punjab Kings from a precarious position of 83/5 in eight overs to a formidable total. Arya formed a vital 71-run partnership with Shashank Singh, who contributed an unbeaten 52 off 36 balls.

After facing two consecutive failures, Arya's confidence surged as he launched a six over point off Ahmed, setting the stage for his remarkable performance. He hit three sixes off Ravichandran Ashwin, although one should have been caught at the boundary. Arya then dispatched Matheesha Pathirana for three consecutive sixes before a mis-hit four brought up his century.

CSK's leading wicket-taker Noor Ahmed was introduced in the 11th over, but Shashank welcomed him with a massive six over long-on. While Arya was the star of the show, Shashank played a crucial role by balancing caution with aggression. Marco Jansen also contributed significantly towards the end, scoring an unbeaten 34 off 19 balls.

Final scores: PBKS: 219/6 (Arya 103, Shashank 52*, Jansen 34*; Ahmed 2/45); CSK: 201/5 (Conway 69, Dube 42; Ferguson 2/40)