In a riveting clash on Tuesday night at the Maharaja Yadavindra Singh International Cricket Stadium in Mullanpur, Punjab Kings (PBKS) stunned the Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) in one of the most dramatic low-scoring matches in IPL history. PBKS set a modest total of 111 runs on the board, only to defend it ferociously and restrict KKR to 95 runs, winning the match by 16 runs. This incredible feat now holds the record for the most successful run defence in IPL history.
PBKS Innings Breakdown
Shreyas Iyer, captaining PBKS, won the toss and boldly opted to bat first, an unconventional move in a T20 format where chasing is often favored. Though Punjab struggled with the bat, Prabhsimran Singh (30) and Priyansh Arya (22) stitched together the only meaningful contributions. The rest of the batting order folded under the pressure of KKR’s sharp bowling.
Harshit Rana was on fire, picking up 3 wickets, while spin twins Varun Chakaravarthy and Sunil Narine bagged 2 wickets apiece. Their combined efforts seemed to have handed KKR the advantage heading into the chase.
KKR’s Run Chase
The chase began shakily. KKR lost both Quinton de Kock (2) and Sunil Narine (5) cheaply. Despite the early collapse, a recovery looked likely. Ajinkya Rahane and Angkrish Raghuvanshi teamed up for a calm and calculated 55-run stand, steering KKR to a comfortable 62/2 in under 8 overs. At this point, it seemed like the Knights were cruising to victory.
Chahal’s Game-Changing Spell
Chahal spun a web around the middle order, picking up 4 wickets for just 28 runs. His variations were too hot to handle, dismantling KKR’s batting momentum with surgical precision. After Chahal’s spell, Arshdeep Singh bowled a stunning wicket-maiden, and Marco Jansen followed up with a vicious short delivery to dismiss Andre Russell, hammering the final nail in the coffin.
Statistical Milestones
Lowest totals defended in the IPL
111 – PBKS vs KKR, Mullanpur, 2025
116/9 – CSK vs PBKS, Durban, 2009
118 – SRH vs MI, Mumbai WS, 2018
119/8 – PBKS vs MI, Durban, 2009
119/8 – SRH vs PWI, Pune, 2013
Instances of both teams getting all-out in IPL (by aggregates)
180 – KKR vs RCB, Kolkata, 2017
205 – MI vs SRH, Mumbai WS, 2018
206 – PBKS vs KKR, Mullanpur, 2025
314 – MI vs KKR, Mumbai WS, 2024
316 – Deccan Chargers vs RR, Nagpur, 2010
PBKS vs KKR
Kolkata 2024: PBKS record the highest ever successful T20 run-chase.
Mullanpur 2025: PBKS defend the lowest total in the IPL.
What This Means for the Points Table
The win propelled Punjab Kings to fourth place in the standings with eight points from six games, firmly in the playoff zone. KKR, who looked set to top the table with a win, now sit at sixth place with just three wins from seven matches.
Fan Reactions and Social Media Buzz
Twitter exploded with reactions as fans hailed Chahal’s spell as “vintage magic” and lauded PBKS for their never-say-die attitude. While some fans were proud of the fight, most expressed frustration over another middle-order collapse in a winnable chase.
From 70-3 to 79-8 – Last 12 Balls — 5 Wicket , What a Match 😭🔥 pic.twitter.com/LOS7hfSof4
— Sonusays (@IamSonu____) April 15, 2025
What a Match !
Sardar saab "Arshdeep Singh" never disappoint!
Lowest total defended in IPL #PBKSvKKR pic.twitter.com/8HDvaEc7oc— Akashdeep Thind (@thind_akashdeep) April 15, 2025
One of The Best Thrillers in IPL
Literally Punjab defended 111 Score
What a Match 🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥#PBKSvKKR pic.twitter.com/sSXrRm0FmF— Addicted To Memes (@Addictedtomemez) April 15, 2025
What a match !!! 😳😯#PBKSvKKR
— Revanth Reddy (@staranterebelye) April 15, 2025
Congratulations to team punjab
Sad for Kolkata
What a match 😭 Full of dhamaka
WHAT A GAME 🥶🔥#PBKSvKKR #KKRvPBKS #SB19 #Jin_Echo #UNIS #SweetGuluva pic.twitter.com/2WuXBho5sS— Vivek Vikash (@imvivekvikash) April 15, 2025
Congratulations to team punjab
Sad for Kolkata .
What a match 😭 Full of dhamaka
WHAT A GAME 🥶🔥#PBKSvKKR pic.twitter.com/tZpYvZjIGz— HEEBA KHAN (@HeebaKhan86) April 15, 2025
Get the latest cricket news here, like us on Facebook, and follow us on Twitter and Instagram for more such updates.