IPL 2025: Chahal's Stunning Spell Leads PBKS to Remarkable 16-Run Win Over KKR
In a thrilling IPL 2025 match, Yuzvendra Chahal's brilliant leg-spin bowling led Punjab Kings (PBKS) to a dramatic 16-run win against Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) at the Punjab Cricket Association Stadium. The game, which had also seemed to be headed for a KKR victory, turned with Chahal's brilliance, as PBKS defended the lowest total in IPL history.
Chahal, who had only two wickets in the season so far in this match, came up with a match-winning outing taking 4/28. He assisted PBKS in defending a small total of 112, and KKR was bowled out for only 95 in 15.1 overs. With KKR in a strong position at 72/3 after 9 overs, their batting collapse was a surprise with wickets coming in quick succession and keeping their fans surprised. The initially manageable chase was spoiled by poor shot selection and lack of awareness, as KKR lost one wicket after the other, eventually failing by 16 runs.
KKR's chase got off to a good start, with Ajinkya Rahane (17) and Angkrish Raghuvanshi (37) playing a 55-run stand that appeared to set them on their way to victory. But fate took a dramatic turn when Chahal was introduced into the attack. He struck immediately, dismissing Rahane with a precise delivery, followed by Raghuvanshi’s wicket, which reduced KKR to 72/4 in the 9.1 overs. As KKR faltered, PBKS’s bowlers, led by Chahal, tightened the screws. Glenn Maxwell played a vital supporting role by removing Venkatesh Iyer, while Chahal continued to dominate with the wickets of Rinku Singh and Ramandeep Singh. In spite of the fierce push by Andre Russell to drive KKR to victory, Chahal proved too strong for them, and Russell's overeager shot was caught, basically scripting the end for KKR.
KKR's skipper Rahane owned up to the loss in the post-match discussion, confessing that the team's mindset had been unadvised and their shot choices were not as matured as required. "I'll take the blame, played the wrong shot, was missing, but it began from there," Rahane stated. The wicket was not that simple, but 111 was chaseable. I felt we were reckless, and we must take full responsibility as a unit. Too many things running in my mind. I need to keep myself very calm and think about what I'm going to speak to the boys.
The game was diverted suddenly before the bowling stint, as PBKS's batting collapsed terribly. In a poor batting performance, PBKS were dismissed for a mere 111 in 15.3 overs, the second-lowest so far this season. Pre-match chatter had been regarding KKR's potent bowling line-up, particularly their bowlers, and how hard it will be for PBKS's batsmen. However, it was the pacers, Harshit Rana and Anrich Nortje, who inflicted early damage. Prabhsimran Singh and Priyansh Arya, PBKS's openers, started well and provided a good beginning for their team. But after Arya was picked by Rana in the fourth over, PBKS's innings started to fall apart. The loss of captain Shreyas Iyer for zero, caught by Ramandeep Singh off Rana, added more pressure on the team. Rana went on to rule the roost, and when he sent Prabhsimran back for 30, PBKS was in a shaky spot at 54/4 off 6 overs. Varun Chakravarthy's spin added to PBKS's woes, picking up Josh Inglis a little later. The innings was in tatters with the appearance of debutant Xavier Bartlett, who was run out in the 16th over, leaving PBKS all but done with their second-lowest total of the year.
While the PBKS batting effort was far from ideal, it was Chahal's bowling that saved the day. Praising his effort, PBKS head coach Ricky Ponting talked of the dramatic transformation. "The heart rate is still there", Ponting declared. "Two days ago, we couldn't chase 240, and chases like this small, the wicket was simple. What about Chahal tonight? He actually did a fitness test prior to the game last night. I spoke to him and asked him whether he was all right, and he said he was fit to play. Ponting went on, "Even if we had lost the game, I couldn't have been more proud of us in the second half. The batting was terrible, but if we had lost in a tight one, I felt this was a season-defining moment". I think around the midpoint, there weren't many individuals globally who would have stood up for that. That could very well be the most satisfying victory that I've had as a coach".
The match, which was one of the most thrilling games of the 2025 IPL season, turned out to be an emotional rollercoaster. KKR's failure to run down a small score and PBKS's unexpected but thrilling win will be one to be talked about for years to come. Chahal's four-fer was undoubtedly the pick of the day, and while PBKS's batting collapsed early on, their bowlers displayed the grit and determination required to defend the unthinkable. As the teams move into their next matches, the game will be a reminder that in the IPL, no match is ever really over until the last ball is bowled.
