(ESPNCRICINFO) Last year Punjab Kings (PBKS) pulled off the highest successful chase in the IPL when they came across Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR). This year, they have nailed the lowest successful defence, bowling KKR out for 95 after posting just 111. And this after they failed to defend 245 in their previous match against Sunrisers Hyderabad.

At 62 for 2, KKR were 98% favourites to win, but Yuzvendra Chahal triggered a sensational collapse in conditions that were almost as helpful for the seamers as in Test cricket. Arshdeep Singh and Marco Jansen then applied the finishing touches with incisive short bowling, something KKR had used to end up with a paltry target to chase.

The ball seamed 0.5 degrees on average, and both the batting sides approached the game with high intent. Anything full flew because of the pace in the pitch, but once wickets fell, they did so in clutches. Accordingly, things happened quickly, the game swung wildly. PBKS went from 39 for 0 in 19 balls to 15 for 4 in the next 17. They lost their last wickets for 37. KKR were 7 for 2 in 1.2 overs, but scored 55 in the next 38 balls. Chahal then inspired a collapse of six wickets in 5.1 overs. The final twist was Andre Russell taking 16 off one Chahal over to rearrange his figures to 4-0-28-4, but the big left-arm quicks turned to seal the win that took PBKS into the top four.

Prabhsimran and Arya hit the ground running
KKR beefed up their fast bowling with Anrich Nortje ostensibly because they wanted to test the young Indian batters in PBKS, who have been doing the heavy-lifting for them. However, the openers targeted Vaibhav Arora’s second over to threaten a repeat of their high-scoring exploits. Harshit Rana, though, turned things around with shorter lengths. The wickets themselves might look innocuous but the short balls did create doubts as they stopped a little and also seamed appreciably. Priyansh Arya found deep square leg, Shreyas Iyer cut a short and wide ball straight to deep point, and Prabhsimran Singh was cramped on the cut. All three catches ended up with Ramandeep Singh.

KKR spinners mop up
Probably expecting high pace, PBKS reinforced their overseas batting by bringing in Josh Inglis for Marcus Stoinis. However, both their overseas batters failed to read Varun Chakravarthy from the hand. Inglis was bowled off a wrong’un trying to slog-sweep, Glenn Maxwell looking for a single.
PBKS even went for an SOS substitution, which would leave Maxwell as the fifth bowler. Sunil Narine, though, took out the Impact Player Suryansh Shedge and Jansen in the same over. A run-out between Arshdeep and IPL debutant Xavier Bartlett ended what looked like a sorry innings. The KKR seamers took 4 for 23 in 29 balls pitched shorter than 8m in length while 24 balls fuller than that went for 49 runs.