MULLANPUR: In a low-scoring thriller, Shreyas Iyer’s Punjab Kings stunned the defending champions Kolkata Knight Riders, successfully defending a modest total and claiming a historic win in the IPL. Chasing a target of just 112 runs, Kolkata was bowled out for 95 in 15.1 overs, collapsing dramatically from a strong position of 62 for 2, undone by the magical spin of Yuzvendra Chahal. With this, Punjab set a new IPL record for the lowest total ever defended by a team.
Kolkata’s chase started poorly. By 1.2 overs, both openers — Sunil Narine (5 off 4) and Quinton de Kock (2 off 4) — were back in the dugout with just 7 runs on the board. A promising 55-run stand for the third wicket between captain Ajinkya Rahane (17 off 17) and young talent Ankkrish Raghuvanshi (37 off 28) gave hope to KKR. However, Chahal dismissed both, turning the tide in Punjab's favour. Score: 72 for 4.
In the very next over, Glenn Maxwell removed Venkatesh Iyer (7 off 4). Then came a quick collapse — Rinku Singh (2 off 9) and Ramandeep Singh fell in succession to Chahal, reducing KKR to 79 for 8. Though Andre Russell launched a mini counterattack with two sixes and a four in Chahal’s final over, KKR still needed just 17 runs from the last 5 overs with one wicket in hand. In the first ball of the 16th over, Marco Jansen clean bowled Russell (17 off 11), sealing an unbelievable win for Punjab.
Yuzvendra Chahal was the star, taking 4 wickets, while Marco Jansen claimed 3. Xavier Bartlett, Arshdeep Singh, and Maxwell picked up a wicket each. Earlier, Punjab, electing to bat first, were bowled out for just 111 runs in 15.3 overs, despite a fiery start by openers Priyansh Arya (22 off 12) and Prabhsimran Singh (30 off 15). At 3.2 overs, Punjab had reached 39 runs before the first wicket fell. What followed was a collapse.
Skipper Shreyas Iyer departed for a duck (0 off 2) in the same over. Josh Inglis (2 off 6) was bowled by Varun Chakravarthy, and Prabhsimran gifted his wicket to Harshit Rana. Nehal Wadhera (10 off 9) and Glenn Maxwell (7 off 10) also failed, bringing Punjab down to 76 for 6 in 9.1 overs. Impact sub Suyansh Shedge (4 off 4) couldn't make an impact either. Shashank Singh (18 off 17) provided a brief resistance, with Marco Jansen (1 off 2), Xavier Bartlett (11 off 15), and Arshdeep Singh (1) adding minimal runs. For KKR, Harshit Rana shone with the ball, picking up three key top-order wickets, while Sunil Narine and Varun Chakravarthy took two wickets each. Vaibhav Arora and Anrich Nortje shared one wicket apiece.
Yuzvendra Chahal's performance was particularly noteworthy as he not only led Punjab's bowling attack but also tied with Kolkata's Sunil Narine for the most four-wicket hauls in IPL history. Chahal's figures of 4/28 were instrumental in the match, allowing him to equal Narine's record of eight four-wicket hauls in the IPL. This was Chahal's third 4-plus wicket haul against KKR, the most by any bowler against a single opponent in the IPL.
After the match, PBKS head coach Ricky Ponting praised Chahal's performance, revealing that the spinner had undergone a fitness test due to a shoulder injury sustained in the previous game. "What about Chahal tonight? How good a spell of bowling was that!" Ponting exclaimed. "He actually had a fitness test before the game today, and I grabbed him out of the warm-up and looked him in the eye and said, 'Mate, are you okay?' He said, 'Coach, I am 100 percent right.' What a spell of bowling!"
Chahal's exceptional performance was also acknowledged by his teammate Nehal Wadhera, who stated, "The way he performed today was really, really commendable. He picked four crucial wickets despite being left-handers there. I think the way he was paced today, bowling wide slower balls, and he showed us all today mixing his pace, so I think this is what experience does to a bowler. He totally won us the game today."
With this victory, Punjab Kings now find themselves in fourth place in the IPL 2025 points table, with four wins and two losses, totaling eight points. Meanwhile, Kolkata Knight Riders sit in sixth place, having won three and lost four matches, giving them six points. Punjab's next challenge will be against Royal Challengers Bengaluru on April 18, 2025, in Bengaluru.
This match will be remembered not just for the thrilling finish but also for the record-breaking achievements of Chahal and the fortitude shown by the Punjab bowlers. Defending the lowest total in IPL history, they have proven that in cricket, anything is possible, and resilience often leads to remarkable outcomes.
