Rookie opener Priyansh Arya excels on IPL stage, smashes ton to fire Punjab Kings to 219/6
CSK's leading wicket taker Noor Ahmed was introduced in the 11th over and and Shahank welcomed him into the attack with a massive six over wide long-on.
CHENNAI: Rookie opener Priyansh Arya delivered on his high promise with a sensational hundred, powering Punjab Kings to 219 for six in their IPL fixture against Chennai Super Kings here on Tuesday.
The 24-year-old from Delhi, who rose to prominence with six sixes in an over in a local league last year, flaunted his special six-hitting skills on the national stage to lift Punjab Kings to the highest total at the venue after the hosts lost their five wickets for 83 runs inside eight overs.
Arya rode on his luck to smash 103 off 42 balls with the help of seven boundaries and nine hits over the fence.
The commendable recovery was also made possible by Shashank Singh (52 not out off 36 balls) who made sure Punjab Kings cash in on the platform laid by Arya. Number eight Marco Jansen (34 not out off 19) also played his part to perfection.
Head coach Ricky Ponting had spoken highly of Arya at the start of the season and on Tuesday, the left-hander repaid the immense faith which the Australian legend showed on him.
After two successive failures, Arya was under pressure but the way he started his innings, slaying pacer Khaleel Ahmed for six over point, set the tone for his memorable effort.
Arya loves smashing sixes down the ground but after picking the brains of Ponting, he seems to have upped his game square of the wicket. With the ease he deposited Matheesha Pathirana's short balls in the 13th over was a testament to that.
After three straight sixes off the Sri Lanka pacer, the next one was a four towards third man off a mis-hit that took him to three figures.
What also stood out in Arya's stellar knock was the manner he played veteran spinner R Ashwin. He collected three sixes off Ashwin though one of them should have been a catch at the boundary.
CSK's leading wicket taker Noor Ahmed was introduced in the 11th over and and Shahank welcomed him into the attack with a massive six over wide long-on.
While Arya stole the show, Shashank struck the ball crisply building on his breakaway last season.
An ordinary bowling effort from CSK allowed Punjab Kings to come back in the game and eventually gain the upperhand.
Ashwin leaked 48 runs in his four overs and Pathirana 52 runs in his quota of overs.
