The decision to introduce Shashank Singh into the bowling attack for stopping the rampage of Sunrisers Hyderabad openers Abhishek Sharma and Travis Head was not instant but planned, said Punjab Kings’ wicketkeeper-batter Prabhsimran Singh.Playing at 120 for no loss in 9 overs, the Sunrisers failed to post a huge total given their perfect start. To stop the duo from scoring big, the Kings skipper Shreyas Iyer introduced Shashank into the attack and he dismissed both the openers. It was for the first time this season that Shashank was called to bowl. The last he bowled was in a T20 game for Chhattisgarh against Railways in December 2025, where he claimed 1/13.“It was not an instant decision, but planned. Shashank had bowled well against Abhishek in the past, and we expected him to do the same for this match. The decision really clicked well, as both the left-handers were trapped timely,” said Prabhsimran, who was tasked with standing up to the stumps when Shashank bowled.The Kings won their second home game in Mullanpur by six wickets, chasing 220 against the Sunrisers. Prabhsimran scored 51 off 25, with four boundaries and four sixes, and provided a fast start alongside fellow opener Priyansh Arya (57 off 20) as the Kings maintained their brilliant start to the Indian Premier League season.“We were going for a big chase, and we knew the importance of hitting well in the powerplay. The Sunrises also hit well in their lot of the first half of the innings. At one point, it felt like they could score 250 or even more, but our bowlers made a very good comeback. We have chased successfully in all three matches now, and the quicker we adapt to the conditions, the better cricket we will play,” said Prabhsimran.He also praised the chemistry within the batting unit, especially with his opening partner. “Priyansh is batting very well and we enjoy playing together. Having clarity from the captain and coach is very important. We motivate each other a lot, and that shows on the field during these big chases. We have total clarity and backing, which helps us to play high-risk cricket without the fear of getting out. It allows us to go with the full flow,” he said.While the opener hailed the win, Kings’ head coach Ricky Ponting said that the team turned “an ugly day into a positive one”. During the dressing room address, Ponting said, “What we talk about around this team all the time is how hard we are going to be to beat. When we’re behind, we’re going to find a way to fight and fight and fight until we get ourselves back into the game. We turned what looked like being an ugly day into a really positive one.”