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Punjab Kings secured a brilliant five-wicket victory against Chennai Super Kings at the MA Chidambaram Stadium on Friday.
Chasing a big target of 210, Punjab reached the mark with eight balls to spare, marking their second-highest successful run chase in tournament history, according to a release. With this win, Punjab Kings now hold the world record for the most successful 200-plus chases in T20 cricket history. This was their ninth such chase, putting them ahead of major international and IPL teams like Australia, India, and the Mumbai Indians. After being asked to bat, Chennai Super Kings posted 209/5, led by Ayush Mhatre's 73. However, the Punjab bowlers pulled things back in the final overs, with Yuzvendra Chahal delivering a very economical spell of 1/21. In response, young opener Priyansh Arya gave the team a flying start with a blistering 39 off just 11 balls. He was well supported by Prabhsimran Singh (43 off 34) and captain Shreyas Iyer, who scored a solid 50 to guide the team home. Speaking to the team after the match, Head Coach Ricky Ponting praised the growing belief within the squad. "It doesn't matter where we play or who we play, this cricket team is a good cricket team. We've got to keep growing on that, keep trusting each other, keep working hard for the results and keep going," Ponting said. A record-breaking opening stand in the powerplay set up the chase. Ponting was particularly impressed by the intent shown by the young batters to take on the target of 210 from the very first ball. "Priyansh, that's as good a ball striking as I think I've ever seen. That opening partnership set up the game. After the first six overs, I wasn't concerned at all. I just had that much confidence in this batting group and the way that we were going to go about it," he added. While the batters finished the job, Ponting also highlighted the discipline of the bowling unit on a very flat pitch. He noted that the bowlers stayed calm even when the scoring rates were high to ensure the target stayed within reach. "I think as bowlers we did really well. To give only 21 runs in three overs (by Yuzi) in such a high-scoring game is huge. The way the bowlers stuck to the plan in the last few overs really got us back in the game," Ponting concluded. Punjab Kings will look to carry this momentum forward as the tournament progresses. The team now prepares for their next challenge against Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) on April 6, focused on maintaining their clinical approach and strong team bond. (ANI)
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