Punjab Kings (PBKS) pulled off an upset, successfully defending a modest total of 111 runs in the 31st match of the Indian Premier League 2025 (IPL 2025) against Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) at the Maharaja Yadavindra Singh International Cricket Stadium in Mullanpur on April 15.
KKR opened with Quinton de Kock (2 runs off 4 balls) and Sunil Narine (5 runs off 4 balls), facing PBKS’s pace duo of Marco Jansen and Xavier Bartlett. The chase began shakily as Jansen struck early, cleaning up Narine, who played a wild hoick only to see the ball crash onto the stumps.Â
De Kock followed soon after. He was caught at backward square-leg by Suryansh Shedge off Bartlett, leaving KKR at 7/2 in 1.2 overs. The Mullanpur crowd roared as PBKS sensed an upset.
Angkrish Raghuvanshi (37 runs off 28 balls) joined KKR captain Ajinkya Rahane (17 runs off 17 balls at the crease). Angkrish took the attack the PBKS bowlers. He eased the pressure off Rahane, who also took calculated risks from time to time.
Also read: IPL 2025 Match 31 PBKS vs KKR Highlights: Kolkata Run Riot as Punjab Sink to 111/10
Their 55-run partnership ensured that the stayed firmly in KKR’s hands. Yuzvendra Chahal struck in eighth over as Rahane was adjudged LBW. He did not opt for a review. However, ball-tracking showed that the impact was outside off.Â
Chahal chipped in with another wicket. Raghuvanshi tried to chip the ball towards cover but edged the ball to the hands of Bartlett, who was stationed at the backward-point region.
Glenn Maxwell provided another breakthrough to PBKS in the form of Venkatesh Iyer (7 runs off 4 balls). Punjab now had an outside chance of pulling off an upset with KKR still needing 38 runs to win.
Chahal’s leg-spin outclassed Rinku Singh (2 runs off 9 balls) as KKR lost their sixth wicket and were reduced to 76/6 in 11.3 overs. He struck once again on the next delivery. Ramandeep Singh played a sweep but ended up giving an easy catch to Shreyas Iyer at leg slip.
The excitement in the air was palpable. The game hung in balance. It was time for Jansen to work his magic. The left-arm pacer stunned Harshit Rana, who inside-edged the ball onto the stumps. KKR had lost eight wickets for 79 runs with Russell still batting.
Russell hammered two sixes and a four off Chahal in the 14th over to infuse life back into the game.
Arshdeep bowled a wicket-maiden 15th over as Vaibhav Arora (0 run off 7 balls) departed for a duck. Punjab were a wicket away from the win, while Kolkata needed 17 runs.
Russell tried to smash another ball out of the park but Jansen cleaned him up to bundle out KKR for 95 runs as PBKS won by 16 runs.
This is now the lowest score defended in a full IPL match. With this victory, Punjab Kings climbed to fourth position on the IPL 2025 points table, while Kolkata Knight Riders dropped to sixth place.
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