History was created by Punjab Kings in the Indian Premier League! Moreover, they managed to defend the lowest total in cumulative points in the tournament’s long history. The match, held at Mullanpur, saw Punjab Kings triumph over the Kolkata Knight Riders by 16 runs, setting a new record for the lowest total defended.
Punjab Kings scored just 111 runs in 15.3 overs, with openers Prabhsimran Singh and Priyansh Arya contributing 30 and 22 runs, respectively. Despite having such a low score to defend, Punjab’s bowlers still made a commendable effort. Harshit Rana was the pick of Indian bowlers, taking 3 for 25 runs. Their contributions turned out to be pivotal in limiting Kolkata Knight Riders as they reached the target.
The game turned on its head a bit when Ajinkya Rahane was removed lbw. In fairness to him, though, he was attempting a slog sweep off Yuzvendra Chahal. By that time, Kolkata’s score was only 62-3 and Rahane’s wicket was a major turning point. After Rahane, Raghuvanshi too paid the price for being stumped by Chahal in the second last over, killing Kolkata’s chase as a contest.
Punjab Kings have only recently completed their hat-trick of madness! They broke CSK’s previous record of 116 runs that they themselves gave to CSK back in 2009. To their credit, Punjab’s bowlers were similarly impressive in defending just 111 runs. The sheer scope of this achievement nevertheless speaks to the adversity batters face on an increasingly tough mound.
Punjab Kings picked up a much-needed victory to move up to fourth place in the IPL table. They tie four other teams atop the table, each with eight points. On the other hand, after experiencing this loss, the Kolkata Knight Riders have dropped to the 6th position.
Ajinkya Rahane reflected on his team’s performance, emphasizing the need for accountability among batters.
“As the captain I played the wrong shot – it started from there. We batted really badly as a batting unit. The bowlers did really well on this surface. We were reckless – we should take full responsibility as a batting unit. It was an easy chase for us.” – Ajinkya Rahane
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