PBKS beat KKR in a low-scoring thriller at Mullanpur. The team that failed to defend 245 runs in the last match created the record of protecting the lowest total in IPL history. Punjab Kings (PBKS) scored 111 runs and restricted KKR to 95 runs, and under Shreyas Iyer‘s leadership, they won the match by 16 runs. Let’s look at the records being broken.
Defend a low total in the history of IPL
PBKS created the record of defending the lowest total in IPL history. They defended 111 runs against KKR. CSK defended 116 runs against the same Punjab in 2009. PBKS broke the 16-year-old record.
Last year, when these two teams clashed at Eden Gardens, Punjab chased the target of 262 and created the record of the highest total chased in IPL history. Now, they have defended the lowest total against the same team. They have gone to two extremes against KKR in two seasons.
Yuzvendra Chahal’s love for KKR
Yuzvendra Chahal was bought by Punjab in this season for the whopping price of 18 crores. But he was not in his best form and struggled to take wickets in the initial matches. He took only 2 wickets in the first 5 matches. But against KKR, he delivered one of his best performances when it mattered the most.
Chahal is the reason Punjab is making a comeback in the game. He ran through the middle order of KKR and picked four crucial wickets of Ajinkya Rahane, Angkrish Raghuvanshi, Rinku Singh, and Ramandeep Singh. His spell shattered KKR and put them in a backfoot.
Yuzvendra Chahal registered his second-best bowling spell in the IPL of 4-28-4. His first best also came against KKR in 2022 when he was playing for RR. He took 5 wickets and gave 40 runs in that game. That remains as his only fifer in IPL.
The sly spinner also won the Man of the Match award for his brilliant spell. This is his first man of the match award in 3 years. His last man of the match award also came against them for his fifer against KKR in 2022.
Shreyas Iyer’s two extremes
Shreyas Iyer now holds the record for the captain to defend the lowest total in IPL history. But, in the history of top two highest chases in IPL history, he was at the receiving end. The two highest totals were chased against his team.
PBKS chased 262 runs against Shreyas Iyer led KKR last year. SRH chased 246 against Shreyas Iyer’s PBKS in this season. He is now leading in both the lists.
Also Read: PBKS vs KKR: 3 Reasons For KKR’s Astounding Defeat Against PBKS