instructed me on how to proceed and take my batting. Brian Lara is credited by Shashank Singh with increasing his batting confidence.

Batsman Shashank Singh of the Punjab Kings (PBKS) gave appreciation to the late West Indian Brian Lara for fostering the faith and self-assurance that improved his batting approach in the IPL. After PBKS defeated Chennai Super Kings (CSK) by 18 runs in Mullanpur thanks in large part to an outstanding undefeated 52 off 36 balls, Shashank talked candidly about the mentors who guided him to this point.

After joining PBKS in 2024, the 33-year-old, who had a lacklustre season with Sunrisers Hyderabad in 2022, hitting just 69 runs before being released, has found fresh life in the team’s colours. Shashank played a strong innings on Tuesday, entering the game as his team was down at 90 for 5. His knock, which included three sixes and two fours, was crucial in enabling Punjab reach 219 in the 20 overs they were given.

“We were five down for about ninety when I took the batting position. I wanted to play with as little risk as possible and as much return as possible. It was my responsibility to offer Priyansh more strikes. In the post-match interview, Shashank stated, “I knew that if he batted close to 15–16 overs, we would be close to 200, and 200 was a par score on this surface.”

We must seize such opportunities and remain in the here and now: Shashank Singh

When Shashank Singh thought back on his time at SRH being mentored by Brian Lara, he mentioned how Lara improved his understanding of his own game. The batter, along with Lara, talked about how current PBKS coach Ricky Ponting believed in him.

“My objective was to be on the wicket and score as many runs as possible because when you step onto the pitch, you don’t consider your past or future performance—it’s just the bat and the ball.” Lara sir, he gave me advice on how to approach my hitting. He said that power hitters typically arrive between 6 and 8, but I’m a ball-timer. I’m fortunate to have Ricky Ponting by my side. Prior to the IPL (this season), I wasn’t doing well in the nets, but I appreciate how Ricky Sir supported and believed in me,” he continued.

The fastest IPL century by an uncapped Indian, 103 off 42 balls, was scored by rising phenom Priyansh Arya, who dominated the show. Arya’s valiant efforts gave the team a strong start, as Shashank and Marco Jansen (34*) stitched an undefeated 65-run partnership for the seventh wicket to guarantee that PBKS reached 200.

“Priyansh Arya had flashes throughout his encounter against GT in the first one. I am extremely glad for him because he is a very bright potential for the country as well. He does it for his state side and is doing the same here at the top level. We play match by match, and we have a very strong side. The team appears strong on paper, so we need to win those games and remain in the here and now,” he said.