In a jaw-dropping twist of IPL drama, Punjab Kings (PBKS) pulled off the lowest successful defence in IPL historystunning Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) by 16 runs. What makes this even more iconic is the opponent—KKR—who just last season saw PBKS chase down the highest-ever IPL target against them. From a historic chase to an equally historic defence, Punjab flipped the script in true T20 style.

The match, held in Mullanpur, turned into a low-scoring thriller with unpredictable bounce and nerves on edge. Punjab posted just 111 runs in 15.3 overs, thanks to early blows from KKR’s bowlers Harshit Rana (3/25), Sunil Narine and Varun Chakaravarthy. At the halfway stage, few would have backed PBKS. But cricket’s unpredictability took over.

Yuzvendra Chahal, returning to form, spun a web with a match-winning four-wicket haul. Maxwell, Arshdeep Singh and Marco Jansen chipped in perfectly, with the latter delivering the final blow—bowling Andre Russell for 17 off 11 and sealing the win.

KKR collapsed to 95 all out in 16.3 overs. After the match, a candid Ajinkya Rahane, now KKR captain, was seen shaking hands with PBKS skipper Shreyas Iyer, joking in Marathi, “Youth batting batting was not we.” (We played terrible, didn’t we?). His self-deprecating honesty perfectly summed up KKR’s forgettable night.

The scenes in the PBKS dugout were pure madness—players roaring, fans in disbelief, and Preity Zinta flashing her billion-dollar smile. From heartbreak in a 250+ run chase to a comeback masterclass, Punjab Kings showed why the IPL never fails to surprise.