PBKS vs KKR Highlights: Kolkata Knight Riders choke as Punjab Kings defend lowest total in IPL history

PBKS vs KKR Highlights: After not being able to defend 245 in their last game, Punjab Kings (PBKS) pulled off an incredible heist by defending the lowest total in the history of Indian Premier League (IPL) by inflicting a 16-run defeat on defending champions Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) at Mullanpur in Chandigarh on Tuesday. Chasing a victory target of just 112, KKR were bundled out for 95 runs in 15.1 overs.

Here are the five turning points of the match between Punjab Kings and Kolkata Knight Riders...

Harshit Rana stars with the ball:

Harshit Rana started the Punjab collapse by taking three wickets in his first couple of overs and all three, Priyansh Arya, skipper Shreyas Iyer and Prabhsimran were caught by Ramandeep Singh.

Punjab’s opening stand between Priyansh Arya and Prabhsimran was worth 39 runs, but they never recovered after Rana’s three-wicket burst from his 3 overs.

KKR spin twins:

Punjab Kings were all-out for 111 in 15.3 overs

Varun Chakaravarthy and Sunil Narine are KKR’s trump cards when it comes to spin bowling. We got to witness the same on Friday as Chakaravarthy and Narine spun their web around Punjab batsmen taking 2 wickets each.

KKR mystery spinners just ran through the Punjab middle and lower order and their batsmen were absolutely clueless about what was coming out of the hands of Chakaravarthy and Narine, as PBKS were skittled out for 111 in 15.3 overs – the second time PBKS were bowled out against KKR, after 137 all out at Wankhede in Mumbai in 2022.

How the KKR slide started:

Marco Jansen gave PBKS the first glimmer of hope when he clean bowled KKR opener Sunil Narine in the first over of the run chase. The tall South African came back in the attack after 12 overs and got rid of Harshit Rana and then took the last wicket of Andre Russell to finish with 3/17 and played the perfect support role to Yuzvendra Chahal.

Chahal spins Punjab to victory:

Yuzvendra Chahal produced an incredible spell of 4/28 (BCCI Photo)

Yuzvendra Chahal has the maximum wickets in IPL history and the leg-spinner proved his worth yet again with an incredible spell of 4/28 – his third 4-plus wicket haul vs KKR, the most by a bowler against an opponent in the IPL.

Chahal registered his eighth four-wicket haul as he bamboozled KKR batsmen with flight and guile, including the wicket of KKR captain Ajinkya Rahane in his first over. Chahal then dismissed Angkrish Raghuvanshi in his next over and in his next over he got rid of Rinku Singh and Ramandeep Singh off consecutive deliveries to tighten the noose.

Russell fails to win it for KKR:

Powerfully built Jamaican Andre Russell walked out to bat with a swagger with KKR at 74/5 in 10.4 overs. Renowned for his big hits, Russell smashed Chahal for 2 sixes and a four in the 14th over. Though the required run rate was never a problem, fall of wickets at the other end meant that Russell was running out of partners and hence the big hits were justified.

When Arshdeep Singh dismissed Vaibhav Arora on the last ball of the 15th over, KKR were reduced to 95/9. 17 runs were needed when Russell went for another big hit on the first ball of the next over by Jansen but was clean bowled instead as PBKS won by 16 runs.