source : BCCI
Punjab Kings (PBKS) pulled off one of the most stunning turnarounds of IPL 2025, defending a meager total of just 111 against Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) to win by 16 runs. Just a season after chasing down a record score against the same opposition, PBKS flipped the script in Mullanpur with gritty bowling and fielding, led by a magical spell from Yuzvendra Chahal. With this win, PBKS not only broke into the top four but also etched their name for the lowest successful defence in IPL history.
Things looked bleak when PBKS collapsed after a fiery start by openers Prabhsimran Singh and Priyansh Arya. KKR’s pacers, especially Harshit Rana and Ramandeep Singh, hit hard with shorter lengths, breaking PBKS’s momentum. The spinners then cleaned up, with Varun Chakravarthy and Sunil Narine wreaking havoc in the middle overs. Even an SOS Impact Player move couldn’t rescue PBKS from tumbling to 111 a total that looked woefully below par.
But Marco Jansen and debutant Xavier Bartlett had other plans. The left-arm duo brought PBKS back with a searing burst of seam and bounce, removing Narine and de Kock early. Still, KKR recovered thanks to a steady stand between Ajinkya Rahane and young Angkrish Raghuvanshi, bringing the required runs down with plenty of time and wickets in hand. That’s when Chahal under pressure and with little form this season turned the match on its head.
The veteran leg-spinner claimed four crucial wickets, including Rahane, Raghuvanshi, Rinku Singh, and Ramandeep Singh in a breathtaking spell. Using flight, drift, and sharp turns, Chahal dismantled KKR’s chase just when they seemed in control. Even a late scare from Andre Russell, who smashed Chahal for two sixes and a four in one over, couldn’t rescue KKR from the spiral. With Russell as the last hope, PBKS’s death bowling particularly Arshdeep’s fiery over to Vaibhav Arora sealed the deal.
As Russell bottom-edged one into the stumps to end the game, the Mullanpur crowd erupted. What looked like a certain loss turned into one of PBKS’s most iconic wins. This clash will be remembered not just for Chahal’s redemption, but for a team that regrouped after a 245-run horror show just days earlier to deliver a gritty, unforgettable performance. PBKS’s campaign is alive and kicking—with serious momentum heading into the next phase
