Yuzvendra Chahal and Marco Jansen celebrating wicket of Andre Russell( Credit: X/IPL )
In a stunning turnaround, Punjab Kings (PBKS)—who had recently failed to defend a massive 245-run total—pulled off one of the most dramatic low-score defenses in IPL history, bowling out Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) for just 95 after setting a modest target of 111. The collapse was triggered by Yuzvendra Chahal, who made full use of the conditions with his sharp leg-spin and deceptive googlies, even as the pitch continued to offer assistance to seamers. Arshdeep Singh and Marco Jansen backed him up with aggressive short-pitched bowling to dismantle the tail and seal the win, propelling PBKS into the top four. Andre Russell, who had endured a quiet season so far, briefly reignited KKR’s hopes with a burst of boundaries. However, it wasn’t enough for the visitors, as PBKS clinched a thrilling and unexpected victory.
Fiery KKR bowling restricted Kings to 111
Although the Kings got off to a strong start through Priyansh Arya and Prabhsimran Singh, a flurry of wickets in the middle overs disrupted the momentum of their innings, and they were eventually bowled out for a modest 111. Harshit Rana was the standout performer with the ball, taking 3 wickets for just 25 runs. Spin maestros Sunil Narine and Varun Chakravarthy dismantled the middle order, claiming two wickets each, while Vaibhav Arora and Anrich Nortje chipped in with a wicket apiece.
Attacking spell of Yuzi Chahal
At one moment, KKR were cruising for another victory with 62-2 on the board. But motivated Yuzi halted their tempo and took crucial wickets of Ajinkya Rahane and Angkrish Raghuvanshi to bring Punjab Kings back into the game. He did not stop there and picked 2 more wickets of Rinku Singh and Ramandeep Singh, breaking the middle order of KKR. In his spell of 4 overs, he claimed 4 wickets while giving 28 runs.
Russell puts PBKS on edge at the end but fails to secure the win
With wickets tumbling at regular intervals, it was difficult for any KKR batter to settle in and contribute crucial runs after the dismissal of Angkrish Raghuvanshi. However, Andre Russell held his composure and patiently waited for his moment. In Yuzvendra Chahal’s final over, Russell launched a counterattack, smashing a series of boundaries to collect 16 runs. With just 17 runs needed for victory, his non-striker, Vaibhav Arora, was undone by a barrage of short deliveries from Arshdeep Singh. Ultimately, it was Marco Jansen who delivered the decisive blow, shattering Russell’s stumps to seal the win. KKR were bowled out for a paltry 95 in just 15.1 overs.
