PBKS vs KKR: PBKS Pull Off Stunning 16-Run Win as Chahal Spins Web to Defend Lowest Total in IPL 2025 History Against KKR

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PBKS vs KKR: In one of the most dramatic turnarounds the IPL has witnessed in recent memory, Punjab Kings (PBKS) pulled off a stunning 16-run victory over the high-flying Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) in Match 31 of the 2025 edition at the Maharaja Yadavindra Singh International Cricket Stadium, Mullanpur.

On a sluggish surface where runs were as hard to come by as smiles in the PBKS dugout after the first innings, it took a vintage spell from Yuzvendra Chahal and a team-wide belief to etch their name into IPL folklore.

Match Report: Kings Defend 111 Against KKR

Venue: Maharaja Yadavindra Singh International Cricket Stadium, Mullanpur, Chandigarh
Match: 31st Match, Indian Premier League 2025
Result: Punjab Kings won by 16 runs
Player of the Match: Yuzvendra Chahal

Match Highlights - Punjab Kings vs Kolkata Knight Riders

PBKS Innings - Bowled Out for 111 in 15.3 Overs

• Prabhsimran Singh blazed a quickfire 30 off 15 balls, striking 3 sixes, before falling to Harshit Rana.
• Nehal Wadhera chipped in with a steady 10 off 9.
• The rest of the PBKS batting collapsed under disciplined KKR bowling, with Varun Chakaravarthy (2/21) and Sunil Narine (2/14) leading the charge.
• Harshit Rana delivered a match-turning spell of 3/25 including key wickets of Arya, Prabhsimran and Shreyas Iyer.

PBKS Collapse - All Out for Just 111

• Despite early aggression, Punjab lost 10 wickets for just 72 runs after being 39/1 at one stage.
• Fall of wickets at regular intervals: 42/3, 54/4, 76/6, and finally 111 all out in 15.3 overs.

KKR Innings - Chasing 112, Bowled Out for 95 in 15.1 Overs

• Sunil Narine (5) and Quinton de Kock (2) departed cheaply in the powerplay.
• Ajinkya Rahane (17) and Angkrish Raghuvanshi (37 off 28) stabilised the chase with a 55-run stand.
• Chahal spun a web, picking up 4/28, triggering a dramatic collapse from 72/3 to 95 all out.
• Marco Jansen chipped in with 3/17, including the final wicket of Andre Russell (17 off 11).
• KKR lost 8 wickets for just 23 runs, completely undone by Punjab's bowling brilliance.

Punjab Kings Seal Historic Win in Low-Scoring Thriller

The Punjab Kings pulled off a heist for the ages as they defended a modest total of 111 to beat Kolkata Knight Riders by 16 runs in the 31st match of IPL 2025. With the home crowd at Mullanpur on the edge of their seats, it was Yuzvendra Chahal who spun magic under lights and turned the tide with his 4-wicket blitz, scripting a famous win for PBKS.

PBKS Collapse to 111, but Bowlers Roar Back

Put into bat first, PBKS were jolted early and never found momentum. Opener Prabhsimran (30 off 15) began aggressively, but Harshit Rana (3/25) struck twice in the powerplay to send back both openers. The middle-order collapse was swift-Josh Inglis, Shreyas Iyer, and Nehal Wadhera all failed to anchor the innings. Veteran spinner Varun Chakaravarthy (2/20) and the ever-reliable Sunil Narine (2/14) made full use of the sluggish surface.

Shashank Singh's 18 (17) and a gritty last-wicket run from Arshdeep Singh and Bartlett took the Kings to 111 in 15.3 overs. At the break, few would have bet on PBKS emerging victorious-but what followed was a bowling masterclass.

Chahal's Spell Turns the Game on Its Head

In reply, KKR had the match in control at 72/3, courtesy of Angkrish Raghuvanshi's 37 (28) and Ajinkya Rahane's composed 17. But once Rahane fell LBW to Chahal, the floodgates opened. The leg-spinner ended with figures of 4/28, dismissing Angkrish, Rinku Singh, and Ramandeep Singh in a furious spell that left KKR stunned.

Marco Jansen (3/17) and Bartlett (2/30) chipped in to wrap up the innings at 95 in 15.1 overs. PBKS had turned the tables dramatically, defending the lowest ever total in IPL history-111-a new feather in their cap.

A Storm of Collapse: From 62/2 to 95 All Out

Chasing a paltry 112, KKR looked like they were cruising. Ajinkya Rahane and Angkrish Raghuvanshi stitched a composed 55-run stand, guiding Kolkata to 62 for 2. But just as a top-table leap looked on the horizon, the wheels came off dramatically. Chahal, with the guile of a chess grandmaster and the accuracy of a GPS, ripped through the middle-order to claim figures of 4 for 28.

His victims? Rahane, Raghuvanshi, Rinku Singh, and Ramandeep Singh - each of whom fell to clever changes of pace and flight. "It is a team effort... We wanted to be attacking as we had less runs and the only way we could win was by taking wickets," said Chahal, who was named Player of the Match. "I always have the mindset of how to get the batters out... I varied my pace and if they have to hit, they will have to make an effort."

Defending the Unthinkable: 111 Becomes Gold

PBKS's total of 111 was the lowest ever defended in IPL history (excluding rain-affected games), eclipsing even Sunrisers Hyderabad's 118 vs Mumbai in 2018. For context, this was a ground where PBKS had struggled historically, but this match flipped the script entirely.

The batting effort was nothing to write home about. Prabhsimran Singh's quickfire 30 off 15 gave them a flash of momentum, but Varun Chakaravarthy (4-0-21-2) and Sunil Narine (3-0-14-2) strangled the middle overs. Only Shashank Singh (18 off 17) and a few tail-end nudges helped PBKS cross 100.

Yet, in the end, those 111 runs turned into Fort Knox.

Bartlett, Jansen Set the Tone

Xavier Bartlett drew first blood by removing both Quinton de Kock and Angkrish Raghuvanshi with tight lines and late movement. Marco Jansen (3.1-1-7-3), another hero of the night, dismissed Narine, Russell, and Harshit Rana, all at crucial junctures.

PBKS captain Shreyas Iyer, who himself fell for a duck earlier in the game, was full of admiration for his troops. "It is hard to express in words... such wins make it special. There was variable bounce in the wicket... we asked the bowlers to keep this in mind. When we saw Yuzi come in and turn the ball, our hopes and expectations were higher," he said. "It is important we stay humble and not get over-hyped with this win."

KKR's Collapse: From Calm to Chaos The KKR batting unit was a picture of reckless abandon once Rahane departed. Rinku Singh scored just 2 before being stumped, Venkatesh Iyer (7) and Andre Russell (17) played cameos that bordered on mindless aggression, and the lower-order simply folded under pressure.

"It was an easy chase for us," admitted a visibly dejected Ajinkya Rahane. "Nothing to explain, we all saw what happened there... We were reckless and should take full responsibility."

The Kolkata skipper added, "On this wicket, batting with full face was better. Sweep was pretty hard to play... we batted really badly as a batting unit. Still have to be positive. Half of the tournament is still remaining. Have to address this and move forward."

Player Reactions

Yuzvendra Chahal | Player of the Match

"It is a team effort. We wanted to be positive and we felt if we get 2-3 wickets in the powerplay then it will be good. We saw their spinners turn it and it helped us. When I bowled the first ball, it turned, Shreyas asked me if I wanted a slip, we wanted to be attacking as we had less runs and the only way we could win was by taking wickets. In the last game I conceded 56 for 4 overs, but I had full confidence and backed myself and my abilities. I always have the mindset of how to get the batters out, I varied my pace and if they have to hit, they will have to make an effort. When you win such a game, the team's morale will be high. It's my first man of the match for Punjab, I'm confident if I keep backing my skills and believe in myself, then I will get success."

Shreyas Iyer | PBKS Captain

"It is hard to express in words. I was just backing my instincts. I saw the ball turn a bit, asked Yuzi to control his breathing a bit. We needed to be attacking and the right players were in the right places. It is tough to talk right now and such wins make it special. There was variable bounce in the wicket, we got a decent total to be honest, looking at the win of 16 runs. When we saw Yuzi came in and turn the ball, our hopes and expectations were higher and I wanted the field to be attacking and right in front of their face so that they make mistakes and the tide turned towards us."

Ajinkya Rahane | KKR Captain

"Nothing to explain, we all saw what happened there. Pretty disappointed with the effort. I'll take the blame, played the wrong shot. We batted really badly as a batting unit, we take full responsibility. Bowlers did really well on this surface, restricting a strong Punjab batting lineup to 111. At the moment, too many things going in my head. It was an easy chase for us. When I go upstairs, need to keep myself calm and then think about what to say to the boys."

Key Stats and Records

• Lowest totals defended in IPL: 111 - PBKS vs KKR, Mullanpur 2025

• Most 4+ wicket hauls in IPL: 8 - Yuzvendra Chahal, 8 - Sunil Narine

• Most wickets vs a single team (IPL): 36 - Sunil Narine vs PBKS, 33 - Chahal vs KKR

• Total aggregate for both teams: 206 - Third-lowest in IPL history

• Chahal's 3rd 4-wicket haul vs KKR: Most by a bowler against any opponent in IPL

Most wickets against a team in the IPL

• 36 - Sunil Narine vs PBKS
• 35 - Umesh Yadav vs PBKS
• 33 - Dwayne Bravo vs MI
• 33 - Mohit Sharma vs MI
• 33 - Yuzvendra Chahal vs KKR
• 32 - Yuzvendra Chahal vs PBKS
• 32 - Bhuvneshwar Kumar vs KKR

Lowest totals defended in the IPL

• 111 - PBKS vs KKR, Mullanpur, 2025
• 116/9 - CSK vs PBKS, Durban, 2009
• 118 - SRH vs MI, Mumbai WS, 2018
• 119/8 - PBKS vs MI, Durban, 2009
• 119/8 - SRH vs PWI, Pune, 2013

Most 4-plus wicket hauls in the IPL

• 8 - Yuzvendra Chahal
• 8 - Sunil Narine
• 7 - Lasith Malinga
• 6 - Kagiso Rabada
• 5 - Amit Mishra

The Kings have found their voice again at Mullanpur-a venue where they've often faltered. Chahal's redemption after a forgettable last outing, and the unity in PBKS' bowling group, tells of a team that's finding its rhythm at the right time. For KKR, this collapse will sting for a while, especially given the comfort with which they approached the chase.

As Rahane rightly said, "We take full responsibility." The race to the playoffs continues, but for now, this will go down as one of the most dramatic IPL upsets. Punjab Kings have etched their name in the history books with the lowest total ever defended in the IPL.

Stay tuned for more IPL and PSL action in the coming days. Until then, take care and keep cheering. Ta-ta for now!