In a tense low-scoring thriller that unfolded on a pitch offering unpredictable bounce and turn, PBKS defended a mere 111 runs to script a 16-run victory over KKR
Rahane caught lip-syncing, Rahane-Iyer at the toss (Pic: Screengrab/X/iplt20/BCCI)
In a twist of fortunes, Punjab Kings went from chasing down the highest target in IPL history last year to defending the lowest total ever in 2025, and both feats came against the same opponent, Kolkata Knight Riders.
In a tense low-scoring thriller that unfolded on a pitch offering unpredictable bounce and turn, PBKS defended a mere 111 runs to script a 16-run victory over KKR. Tuesday's showdown saw both sides struggle to build momentum with the bat, but it was Punjab’s disciplined bowling attack that ultimately turned the match on its head.
Ajinkya Rahane, leading the Knight Riders, saw his side fall short despite valiant efforts from young Angkrish Raghuvanshi and seasoned campaigner Andre Russell. The target of 112 appeared within reach at several points, but a middle-order collapse and some questionable shot selection derailed their chase.
The hero of the match was Yuzvendra Chahal, whose spell of four wickets proved decisive. Chahal exploited the surface brilliantly, using flight, drift, and sharp turn to dismantle KKR’s batting line-up. He was well supported by Marco Jansen, whose hostile spell claimed the key wicket of Russell, while Arshdeep Singh and Glenn Maxwell chipped in with crucial breakthroughs.
One of the pivotal moments in the match was the controversial dismissal of Rahane himself. Attempting to sweep Chahal, he was adjudged LBW by the on-field umpire. Replays later revealed the ball had struck him outside the off stump, meaning the decision would have been overturned had Rahane opted for a review. Unfortunately for KKR, he walked back without challenging the call, a move many analysts labelled as the turning point of the match.
After the final ball, a moment of honesty and sportsmanship was caught on camera as Rahane, while shaking hands with Punjab skipper Shreyas Iyer, seemed to be mouthing, “Kya faltu batting kari humne (What a disastrous batting effort from us)."
Was watching the #PBKSvKKR game and caught this funny bit as Shreyas and Rahane shook hands at the end. In a self-deprecating way Rahane appears to be saying to Shreyas in Marathi : काय फालतू बॅटिंग केली ना आम्ही (We played terrible, didn't we) 😂😂 pic.twitter.com/bNkC7TXGbU
— निखिल घाणेकर (Nikhil Ghanekar) (@NGhanekar) April 15, 2025
"As a batter, I thought that I could save the review for later. It shouldn't happen that I take a review and lose it, then we are only left with one review," Rahane later said in the post-match press conference. "But generally, the batsmen in front of you, you think about what they say. The communication wasn't that clear: 'Maybe it could be the umpire's call, maybe it could be hitting.' That's why I didn't take a review. But again, no complaints. Apart from that, we also were pretty bad as a batting unit. And that was the reason we lost today."
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