Go get a century: How Ricky Ponting motivated Priyansh, Prabhsimran before LSG clash-OxBig News Network

Punjab Kings (PBKS) head coach Ricky Ponting revealed how he motivated openers Priyansh Arya and Prabhsimran Singh before the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2025 clash against the Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) at the Himachal Pradesh Cricket Association Stadium in Dharamsala.

The left-handed Priyansh missed out after Akash Maharaj Singh dismissed him for only one in the first over of Punjab’s innings. Prabhsimran, on the other hand, gave himself an excellent chance of scoring his second IPL hundred.

But in the penultimate over, he got out for 91 as Digvesh Rathi accounted for his wicket. Prabhsimran’s knock, laced with six fours and seven sixes, helped PBKS score 236 for five in 20 overs. Thereafter, PBKS restricted LSG to 199 for seven and won by 37 runs.

Ponting heaped praise on both Priyansh and Prabhsimran for putting their best foot forward in the tournament.

“Yeah, look, he’s been brilliant, hasn’t he? You know, him and Priyansh have got us off to some great starts in the tournament,” Ponting said in the post-match press conference.

‘They complement each other really well’

While Prabhsimran is their top run-scorer with 437 runs at an average of 39.72, Priyansh has racked up 347 runs with a century against the Chennai Super Kings last month in Mullanpur.

Ponting said that he had challenged one of Priyansh and Prabhsimran to score a hundred against the Super Giants.

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“They both, you know, before today had both made 350 runs each for the tournament. I sort of challenged both of the openers in the team meeting today for one of them to go on and get a hundred in this match.

“And unfortunately, Prabh felt just a little bit short of that. But look, all we’ve done with our batting group, we’ve just given some really clear direction of the way that we want them to play, to understand how important, you know, top-order partnerships are in this competition. And we know that if Priyansh and Prabh get going together, that they can be ultra-destructive,” Ponting said.

Ponting said that while Priyansh takes the attack to the fast bowlers, Prabhsimran can pull off the big shots against the spinners.

“You know, Priyansh mainly, probably more against the faster bowlers. And Prabh’s as good a hitter or spinner as anybody going around. So, they complement each other really well, being left hand, right hand, and one probably being slightly better against the quicks and another against spin. So look, it’s a really good, really good combination,” Ponting added.

The Kings will next be up against Axar Patel’s Delhi Capitals (DC) on May 8 in Dharamsala.