Cooper Connolly: ‘We’re taking notes…’: Cooper Connolly reveals the secret behind the dream of Punjab Kings | Cricket News –

New Delhi: Punjab Kings are unbeaten in IPL 2026 so far, and have found a winning formula built not just on performances, but on a strong dressing room culture – something all-rounder Cooper Connolly says drives their success.Punjab Kings continued their dominant run with a 54-run win over Lucknow Super Giants, aided by Connolly’s 87 off 46 balls and a stunning 182-run stand with Priyansh Arya (93 off 37). This victory maintained the top spot in the standings, continuing his unbeaten streak.

But for Connolly, the real difference lies off the field.“We all have discussions about what works for each other, and take little things from each other’s books.

We enjoyed kind of taking little notes from each other,” he said, highlighting the team’s collaborative approach.A culture of learning drives the PBKS boomConnolly stressed that the focus within the team is on continuous improvement rather than individual achievements.“We’re all looking to try to get better, that’s what the game is about, to be the best team ever. We’re looking for a lot of feedback and messages from each other to get better as a group and a team, not my game.”

This shared mentality has translated into consistent performances, with PBKS dropping points only once – in a rain-affected match – while winning the rest convincingly.Connolly also paid special praise to Captain Shreyas Iyer, crediting his leadership in creating a positive environment.“He just leads by example, he always makes his group feel comfortable around him, and he’s always just trying to get better and encourage people — and make sure we do it with a smile on our faces.”A great partnership sets the toneReflecting on his match-winning stand, Connolly admitted he was impressed by Arya’s brilliance at the other end.“I was at the other end a little bit in awe there, because I couldn’t get the hit out, but yeah, I just enjoyed watching him hit,” he said.Connolly added that the team’s approach remains simple – play positive cricket and take advantage of opportunities.“You just try to play good cricket, put pressure on the bowling attack, take advantage of the loose balls, and I think we did that tonight.”Even minor setbacks, such as dropped catches, did not derail Punjab’s momentum.“It’s cricket… people drop what they catch. We’re just looking to move on and give our best in the next game.”

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