PBKS star Cooper Connolly reveals winning formula as Punjab Kings dominate IPL 2026

Punjab Kings batting all-rounder Cooper Connolly said the team’s perfect run in IPL 2026 has come from sticking to the basics and executing them for longer periods as they look to sustain their strong start to the season through the upcoming clash against Delhi Capitals at the Arun Jaitley Stadium.

PBKS sitting at the top with dominant performances

PBKS, led by Shreyas Iyer, are at the top of the points table with 11 points, including five wins from six matches. “It’s always been positive. We just reinforce and reinforce, keep doing what we’ve been doing for the first sort of five, six games. We’ve been good.

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“I think we just need to keep sticking to the basics and do the basics for longer. We know every team’s very good in this sort of competition and any team can beat any team. So just looking to keep the basics down and keep moving forward and sticking to what we know,” said Connolly in a pre-game chat with the broadcasters.

Connolly’s impressive impact with the bat

Connolly, 22, has made a huge impact for PBKS as a specialist batter – amassing 223 runs in six matches. He also talked about how his time in the IPL has been a learning experience.

“It’s been great. I think we’ve got a world-class team, so just learning off the likes of the openers as well, getting a bit of time out in the middle with them, them going about their business and just soaking it all in because they’ve done a wonderful job at the top.

“Just really trying to embrace being at the top there with them and watch them go to work and put away some, I guess, some good bowling and make it tough for the bowlers in the power play,” he said.

Connolly credits Priyansh Arya for match-winning knock

On his batting tempo in the previous game against Lucknow Super Giants, where he made 87, Connolly credited Priyansh Arya, who slammed 93, for doing the heavy lifting from the other end.

“I think what helps is that Arya at the other end was just going nuts. He was hitting the ball everywhere. So I was kind of lucky enough to sort of, I could soak up a few as much as it wasn’t planned, just being able to sort of, I guess, relax a little bit because he was flying at the other end.

“But then, just trying to pick a matchup that I thought would work for me and sort of get myself going. I guess a couple of boundaries sort of gets you rolling and the feel of the middle of the bat always makes it a lot better. I think I am finding my tempo and just trying to pick the right matchup to sort of get myself going.”

Learning from Australia A stint in India

Reflecting on his stint with Australia A in India last year, Connolly said, “I think it was a great experience for me. I think just to get the sort of conditions and what it’s like to play in India compared to Australia and understand that a little bit more because obviously I hadn’t played much in India.

“But I am just trying to work out the skinniness of batting in India and how nice the wickets are. It’s just about trusting the processes that you’ve done to sort of get to this position and keep trusting them and being brave.”

Nehal Wadhera eyes comeback despite poor form

PBKS batter Nehal Wadhera, who has been slotted in Impact Substitutes for the clash against DC, admitted to him not being in the best of his form (40 runs in five games), but hoped for the side to maintain its pole position in the points table.

“We have been winning consistently and the team atmosphere is very good. When you’re on top of the table and winning matches consecutively, your confidence is naturally high, and we hope to keep winning and stay at the top of the table.

“My form hasn’t been good, but I treat every game as a new game. I don’t keep my past performances in mind, if you do, it will affect your future games. I’m learning from it and have made some minor adjustments to my technique – especially regarding going with the flow of the game.

Further talking about the adjustments, Wadhera said, “These aren’t many technical changes, but a few psychological adjustments concerning how I read the game. I’ve worked on these things and hope to do better today.

“My role is to adapt to the situation. I adjust my tempo according to the match situation. It’s been the same for the last four years of the IPL, and my role will continue to remain the same.”

(With IANS Inputs)