In an unforgettable match at the Mullanpur Cricket Stadium on Tuesday, Punjab Kings pulled off a remarkable 16-run victory over the Kolkata Knight Riders, marking a new milestone in IPL history. Under the captaincy of Shreyas Iyer and spearheaded by a sensational four-wicket haul from Yuzvendra Chahal, PBKS managed to defend a modest total of just 111 runs — the lowest ever defended in a full 20-over IPL game.
The Punjab Kings were put on the back foot early after being restricted to a mere 111, thanks in large part to an impressive spell by Harshit Rana, who returned figures of 3 for 25 in his three overs. Despite the batting collapse, Punjab turned the match into a low-scoring thriller with a collective bowling effort led by Chahal, who picked up 4 for 28 in his four-over spell.
Marco Jansen provided crucial support, delivering a fiery spell with the new ball and ending with figures of 3 for 17. He also played a key role in wrapping up the tail. Together with debutant Xavier Bartlett, Jansen dismantled KKR’s top order, removing both Sunil Narine and Quinton de Kock within the first two overs. Glenn Maxwell and Arshdeep Singh also made their presence felt with a wicket each.
KKR’s only major resistance came from Angkrish Raghuvanshi, who scored 37 off 28 deliveries, but lacked support from the other end as wickets kept tumbling.
This victory not only gives PBKS a much-needed morale boost but also etches their name in the record books. Their 111 is now the lowest total successfully defended in IPL history with both sides having a full 20 overs. The previous record was set by Chennai Super Kings in 2009 when they defended 116 against Kings XI Punjab. Additionally, the game now ranks as the third-lowest aggregate match in the league’s history, trailing only behind the 2017 clash between KKR and RCB, and the 2018 low-scorer between MI and SRH.
