Priyansh Arya Makes IPL History with a Six on First Ball Against Delhi Capitals
New Delhi: Punjab Kings batter Priyansh Arya made headlines on May 11 when he hit Mitchell Starc for a six off the first ball in the match against the Delhi Capitals at the Himachal Pradesh Cricket Association Stadium in Dharamsala. This remarkable achievement highlights Arya’s significant impact in the IPL.
Opening the innings, Arya greeted Starc with a powerful shot, launching a fuller delivery over cover point for a maximum. This achievement has placed him in the record books as the first player to hit a six off the first ball in an IPL match on two occasions. While other players such as Naman Ojha, Virat Kohli, Phil Salt, and Yashasvi Jaiswal have also hit sixes on their first ball, they have done so only once.
The following players have all achieved a six off the first ball of their respective IPL matches:
- Naman Ojha (RR) off Brad Hodge (KKR), Durban, 2009
- Virat Kohli (RCB) off Varun Aaron (RR), Bengaluru, 2019
- Phil Salt (KKR) off Nuwan Thushara (MI), Kolkata, 2024
- Priyansh Arya (PBKS) off Khaleel Ahmed (CSK), Mullanpur, 2025
- Yashasvi Jaiswal (RR) off Mitchell Starc (DC), Jaipur, 2026
- Priyansh Arya (PBKS) off Mitchell Starc (DC), Dharamsala, 2026*
In addition to Arya’s achievement, Starc struggled in his opening over, conceding 22 runs—the most he has ever allowed in the first over of a T20 innings. This breaks his previous record of 15 runs, which he gave up while playing for Kolkata Knight Riders against Delhi Capitals in 2024. During the over, Arya hit a second six on the fourth ball and Prabhsimran Singh scored a four on the final delivery.
For further context, it is notable that Punjab Kings players wore black armbands during their 2026 IPL match against Delhi Capitals, a gesture that has raised questions among fans.
