Punjab Kings pulled off a historic upset in a thrilling low-scoring encounter in IPL 2025 by defending the lowest total in IPL history, defeating Kolkata Knight Riders by 16 runs. It was an emotional win for PBKS skipper Shreyas Iyer, who celebrated passionately against his former franchise, whom he had once led to an IPL title.

Match Recap: PBKS Script History With Lowest Total Defence

Punjab Kings opted to bat first and started strong with openers Priyansh Arya and Prabhsimran Singh taking the attack to KKR early. However, their momentum was halted quickly as Harshit Rana struck twice in one over, dismissing Arya and Iyer. The collapse continued with Varun Chakaravarthy outfoxing Josh Inglis, and PBKS lost three wickets inside the Powerplay.

Wickets kept tumbling throughout the innings, with contributions from Anrich Nortje and Sunil Narine as well. Punjab never managed to recover and were eventually bowled out for a mere 111 in 15.3 overs.

KKR Collapses in Chase as Chahal Spins Magic

Chasing 112, KKR lost openers Quinton de Kock and Sunil Narine within the first two overs. A brief recovery partnership between Ajinkya Rahane and Angkrish Raghuvanshi gave KKR some hope. But Punjab's ace spinner Yuzvendra Chahal turned the game on its head with a match-winning spell of 4/28, triggering a middle-order collapse.

KKR's batting crumbled under pressure, and they were eventually bowled out for 95 in 15.1 overs, handing Punjab Kings a famous 16-run victory.

Head-to-Head Stats Update

This win narrows the overall head-to-head record between the two teams. KKR still lead with 21 wins, while PBKS now have 14 victories against them. Interestingly, since 2020, both teams have been evenly matched, winning four games each.

PBKS vs KKR – Key Highlights

• PBKS chose to bat after winning the toss.
• Harshit Rana was the pick of KKR bowlers, dismissing Arya, Iyer, and Maxwell.
• PBKS collapsed to 111 all out.
• Chasing 112, KKR faltered under pressure with Chahal's magical spell dismantling their middle order.
• Shreyas Iyer’s animated celebration added fire to the victory narrative.