Josh Inglis delivered a sensational counter-attacking masterclass for the Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) against his former team, the Punjab Kings (PBKS), smashing a fierce 72 runs off just 43 balls. Operating with aggressive intent at the top of the order, Inglis single-handedly dismantled the PBKS bowling lineup, starting with a 16-run onslaught in the opening over against Arshdeep Singh. This defining, high-stakes performance significantly threatened to crush the playoff aspirations of his previous franchise. Facing India’s premier left-arm seamer Arshdeep Singh, Inglis hit four boundaries in the opening over. He punched through the covers, pulled a short ball, and drove twice over the infield to secure 16 runs off the first 6 balls. Following the early wickets, Inglis teamed up with Ayush Badoni. The pair took full advantage of the final two overs of the powerplay, scoring 42 runs in just 12 balls against Marco Jansen and Azmatullah Omarzai.

After Badoni fell, Inglis completely changed gears. He seamlessly paired up with captain Rishabh Pant. Inglis smartly rotated the strike against Punjab's spin twin Yuzvendra Chahal before smoking Vyashak over the boundary to bring up his 28-ball half-century. This performance carried massive emotional weight. Inglis was a breakout star for the Punjab Kings last season, scoring 278 runs at a strike rate of 162. Ahead of the mega-auction, Inglis informed PBKS management that his upcoming wedding would force him to miss the start of the 2026 season.

LSG loses quick wickets within starting overs of match against PBKS

The early top-order collapse by the Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) was a textbook case of extreme tactical whiplash, swinging from absolute dominance to sheer panic in the span of just a few deliveries. The match began with Josh Inglis utterly decimating Arshdeep Singh for 16 runs in the very first over. This immediate onslaught forced Punjab Kings (PBKS) captain Shreyas Iyer to pull Arshdeep out of the attack instantly.

Looking to alter the pace and angle, Iyer brought on Afghan all-rounder Azmatullah Omarzai to bowl the second over. The sudden change in bowling rhythm caught LSG completely off guard.Omarzai ran in and delivered a probing, full-length ball just angling slightly outside the off-stump line. It was designed to test the batter's footwork early on.

Instead of playing with a straight bat or leaving it to get a feel for the deck, Kulkarni went for a high-risk, expansive drive. He chased the width without moving his feet. A massive under-edge flew sharply behind the stumps. Wicketkeeper Prabhsimran Singh took a clean, low catch to dismiss Kulkarni for a golden duck (0 runs off 1 ball). The score instantly went from 16/0 to 16/1.

The shock of losing Kulkarni on the very first ball of the second over instantly put massive pressure on the incoming star, Nicholas Pooran. Rather than steadying the ship, Pooran looked highly unsettled by the extra bounce and swing generated by the Punjab seamers. Just 10 balls later, Marco Jansen exploited this vulnerability. Jansen delivered a fast, incoming delivery that breached Pooran's defense, rattling his stumps and sending him packing for just 2 runs off 4 balls.