NEW DELHI: The Punjab Kings dugout was filled with raw emotion on Tuesday evening as 24-year-old Priyansh Arya lit up the Mullanpur stadium with a breathtaking century against Chennai Super Kings (CSK) in IPL 2025. Yet, it was team co-owner Preity Zinta’s jubilant reaction that truly stole the spotlight—she jumped in celebration, her joy palpable as Arya scripted history.
Arya, a left-handed batter hailing from Delhi, announced his arrival in grand fashion, smashing 103 runs off just 42 deliveries—a knock decorated with seven fours and nine massive sixes.
His blistering innings made him the second-fastest Indian to reach a century in IPL history, achieving the milestone in just 39 balls. Only Yusuf Pathan’s iconic 37-ball ton from 2010 remains ahead. As Arya raised his bat after clearing long-on for a six to complete his century, cameras zoomed in on the Punjab Kings camp, where an elated Preity Zinta leapt to her feet, clapping and cheering along with the roaring crowd.
Following Punjab Kings’ 18-run win, Preity Zinta caught up with the young star for a post-match interview.
“Aapko mai ek din pehle mili thi to aapne ek shabd nahi bola tha, ekdum silent the aur aapne itni zabardast game kheli, so how is it? [I met you a day before and you didn’t say a single word—you were completely silent. And then you played such an incredible game, so how does it feel?]” Preity asked Priyansh.
Poll
What was the most exciting part of Priyansh Arya’s innings?
To which Arya replied with a smile: “Jab hum mile they to mujhe aapki baatein sunne mein maza aa rha tha isliye mai kuch bol nahi rha tha. Aur game ke baat karein to bahot achi feeling hai, out of the world feeling hai, top of the world feeling hai [When we met, I was really enjoying listening to you, that’s why I wasn’t saying much. And if we talk about the game, it feels amazing—like an out of the world feeling, a top of the world feeling].”
Arya’s innings wasn’t just another power-hitting show—it was the result of a rising journey that’s been turning heads for a while. He first made headlines in the Delhi Premier League, where he slammed six sixes in an over en route to a blazing 120-run knock.
That performance helped land him a ?3.8 crore IPL contract with Punjab Kings, a major leap from his base price of ?30 lakh.
Even before making his IPL debut, Arya was a standout performer in domestic cricket, having topped the run charts for Delhi in the 2024–25 Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy.
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