Young opener Priyansh Arya announced his arrival on the big stage of the Indian Premier League with an awe-inspiring century that helped Punjab Kings beat Chennai Super Kings by 18-runs on Tuesday (April 8). Advertisment Arya"s match-winning knock was laced with nine sixes and the innings gave a glimpse into his capabilities. But Arya had already exhibited his hard-hitting talent in the Delhi Premier League in August 2024 when he hit six sixes in an over. Along with Ayush Badoni, he forged a partnership of 286, the highest for any wicket in T20 cricket and scored a 50-ball 120 in that match. Also Read: Cricket at Los Angeles 2028 Olympics: Check history and all you need to know as six teams and 90 players to feature Speaking about his game plan in the lead up to the innings, the young batter said, “I felt confident from the first one. My game plan was to play proper cricketing shots and capitalise on the loose balls. The credit goes to the entire team management for having faith in me and giving me the freedom. Shreyas Iyer told me to play on my instinct. There were matches when I didn"t perform well but Shreyas told me that no matter what, I will be playing all the matches. That belief means everything.” Advertisment'New ball was coming nicely' “The pitch was slightly two-paced but not unplayable. The new ball came on nicely and once I got used to it, I found my rhythm quicky,” he added. Arya, who is trained by Sanjay Bhardwaj, one of the prominent names when it comes to domestic cricket, also acknowledged the growing expectations. He said, “I love the big stage. This is where you want to perform and leave a mark.” Advertisment “I enjoy watching videos of top batters in the world and then work hard in the nets. I always try to improve after every match. I constantly learn from the senior players around me. You can learn a lot by just observing them,” he added.