Chahal’s 4-wicket haul and Jansen’s late strike script a sensational 16-run win as Punjab Kings register the lowest successful defence in IPL history
Mullanpur (Punjab), April 16: In a jaw-dropping IPL 2025 encounter that will go down in history, Punjab Kings (PBKS) pulled off the lowest successful defence ever in the Indian Premier League, beating Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) by 16 runs after being bowled out for just 111 runs at Mullanpur.
What looked like a straightforward chase for defending champions KKR turned into a nightmare collapse, as they crumbled to 95 all out in 15.1 overs, thanks to a magical spell by Yuzvendra Chahal (4/28) and clinical support from Marco Jansen (3/17).
KKR’s innings began disastrously, losing Quinton de Kock and Sunil Narine early with only 7 runs on the board. A brief fightback from Ajinkya Rahane and Angkrish Raghuvanshi, who stitched together a 55-run partnership, kept them in the game. However, Chahal’s twin strike in the middle overs – removing Rahane and Raghuvanshi – triggered a shocking collapse.
Glenn Maxwell and Arshdeep Singh chipped in with crucial wickets, while Jansen closed the innings by bowling Andre Russell, who threatened a comeback with a quickfire 17 off 11 balls.
Earlier in the match, PBKS had a blazing start with Priyansh Arya (22 off 12) and Prabhsimran Singh (30 off 15) before Harshit Rana’s fiery spell of 3/25 and superb bowling from Narine (2/14) and Chakravarthy (2/21) skittled Punjab out for 111 in just 15.3 overs.
But it turned out to be enough as PBKS created IPL history, breaking the previous lowest defended total record of 116 by CSK in 2009.
🏏 Match Highlights:
- PBKS 111 (15.3 ov): Prabhsimran 30, Priyansh Arya 22; Harshit Rana 3/25
- KKR 95 (15.1 ov): Raghuvanshi 37, Russell 17; Chahal 4/28, Jansen 3/17
With this historic win, Punjab Kings climb to 4th on the points table with 4 wins in 6 matches, while KKR slip to 6th with 3 wins from 7 outings.
This result not only boosts Punjab’s playoff hopes but also earns them a memorable chapter in IPL folklore.