IPL 2025: PBKS Can't Defend 245, But Can 111

There can be no more befuddling unit in the IPL than the Punjab franchise. 

The team that has never won the title, and often fails to make the playoffs, does not obviously belong to the top echelons. But it somehow has some of the most interesting records in the league.

Last year, in a barely believable encounter at the Eden Gardens, PBKS heroically chased KKR's 261 for 6, and pulled it off with 8 balls remaining. Yes, you read it right, it won that high-scoring contest with more than an over to spare: 262 for 2 in 18.4 overs.  This was the highest chase ever in the annals of IPL.

Also Read: IPL 2025: Punjab Kings Stun KKR, Defend IPL’s Lowest Total in Thrilling Victory

And against the same opponent KKR last night at Mullanpur, PBKS batting first made a measly 111. And when the visitors were 62 for 2, everyone felt that the match was done and dusted. But it lost the next 8 wickets for just 33 runs. PBKS had pulled off a heist, winning the contest by a healthy margin of 16 runs. It was the lowest total ever defended in the history of this league.

As it happened, CSK had hitherto held this record as it had successfully defended 116 for 9 at Durban in 2009 against --- no prizes for guessing --- PBKS. As we said, PBKS doesn't lend itself to easy analysis.

What makes yesterday's achievement of the Shreyas Iyer's team is the fact that in the previous encounter, it couldn't safeguard a total of 245 against SRH. But at Mullanpur where the conditions and the pitch helped the bowlers (though it was not unplayable). Leggie Yuzvendra Chahal and left-arm Marco Jansen did the unthinkable.

In its batting innings, PBKS collapsed from 39/0 to 111 all out, losing 10 wickets for just 72 runs. The spin duo of Varun Chakravarthy and Suni Narine dismantled the middle and lower order, with three clean-bowled dismissals.

The swashbuckling opening pair of Prabhsimran Singh (30 runs off 15 balls, including 3 fours and 2 sixes) and Priyansh Arya (18 runs off 10 balls) provided a quick start. But Shreyas scored a duck, and the innings never got the momentum. Harshit Rana took 3 wickets for 25 runs in 3 overs, Chakravarthy had 2 wickets for 21 and Narine 2  for 14 .

KKR batting had contributions from Ajinkya Rahane (17 from 17) and Angkrish Raghuvanshi (37 off 28). But Chahal with a sensational spell of  4 for 28 and Jansen with 3 wickets for 17 collapsed KKR.

Chahal's spell in the middle overs turned the game in PBKS's favor, breaking crucial partnerships. And Jansen provided the finishing touch, including the wicket of Andre Russell who look like taking the match deep and into KKR's territory. Incidentally, this is the 5 instance in IPL of both teams getting bowled out.

PBKS's victory can boost its morale after a mixed campaign so far, while KKR will need to address its batting. PBKS at 4 in the table while KKR is at a vulnerable sixth spot.

Also Read: IPL 2025: Shreyas Iyer May Have a Point to Prove to his Former Franchise KKR