Punjab Kings (PBKS) head coach Ricky Ponting praised his team’s fighting spirit and determination after they pulled off a dramatic 16-run victory against Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR). The win came despite PBKS defending just 112 runs, the lowest total ever successfully defended in IPL history.
PBKS managed to bowl out the defending champions for only 95 runs in 15.1 overs at Mullanpur. Their bowlers, especially Yuzvendra Chahal and Marco Jansen, delivered outstanding spells to compensate for a weak batting performance.
Ponting admitted that the thrilling nature of the match had his heart racing. He said, “The heart rate is still up there. I’m 50 years now and don’t need more games like these.”
He explained that defending a low total can often be more difficult than chasing one. “Defending 112, with 16 runs up our sleeves. We actually said to the guys at the halfway mark that these really small chases, like these, are sometimes the hardest,” Ponting added.
He also mentioned that the pitch conditions made it hard for both teams to score runs. “The wicket wasn’t easy, as you can see that right through the game, it was definitely holding up,” he noted.
Ponting praised Chahal’s performance, calling it an incredible spell of bowling. He shared that Chahal had suffered a shoulder injury in the previous match and had to pass a fitness test before playing. Ponting recalled asking Chahal before the game if he was fit to play. Chahal told him, “Coach, I am 100 per cent right, let me out there.” Ponting added, “Yeah, what a spell of bowling!”
Although PBKS struggled with the bat, Ponting said he felt proud of how the team responded with the ball. He admitted their batting fell short due to poor shot selection and execution. But once the team took the field, their energy and belief made the difference. “Even if we had lost that game, I couldn’t have been prouder of the way we went about the second half,” he said.
Ponting believed this match could mark a turning point in their campaign. He explained that even a close loss would have shown the team’s fighting spirit. “So, if we had gone down in a really close one, I would have been telling the guys that was actually a season-defining moment – and it might be now as well,” he said. He added, “To be able to dig deep and win a game like that, I reckon at the halfway mark there weren’t too many people around the world that thought that we could have defended it – and we have. Credit to all the boys. They were terrific tonight.”
Ponting also spoke about the tactical adjustments made during the game. Instead of sticking to their regular strategy, they opted to start the bowling with Marco Jansen and Bartlett instead of Arshdeep Singh. According to Ponting, match-ups showed that Jansen and Bartlett would be more effective, so they adapted their approach.
In closing, Ponting acknowledged the emotional impact of the win. “Wins like these are always the sweetest ones. And if you can pull this off, then it should be as good a win as most guys have been involved in. I have coached a lot of games in the IPL, and that might just be about the best win I ever had,” he said.
Match Summary:
PBKS had won the toss and chosen to bat first. Openers Priyansh Arya (22 off 12 balls) and Prabhsimran Singh (30 off 15) gave the team a strong start, adding 39 runs quickly. However, a tight bowling spell from Harshit Rana (3/25) and sharp fielding by Ramandeep Singh left PBKS at 54/4 after the powerplay. Later, Sunil Narine (2/14) and Varun Chakravarthy (2/21) prevented any recovery, bowling PBKS out for 111 in 15.3 overs.
In response, KKR lost quick wickets as PBKS bowlers dominated. Chahal took 4/28, while Jansen grabbed 3/17. Despite efforts by Angkrish Raghuvanshi (37 off 28) and Andre Russell (17 off 11), KKR collapsed to 95 all out in 15.1 overs.
After this win, PBKS moved to fourth on the points table with four wins and two losses (8 points). KKR dropped to sixth with three wins and four losses (6 points).
