Shreyas Iyer and the Punjab Kings achieved a remarkable feat by successfully defending the lowest total in the history of the Indian Premier League (IPL), defeating the Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) by 16 runs in New Chandigarh on Tuesday. Despite being dismissed for just 111 runs, the Punjab Kings staged a remarkable comeback, securing one of the most memorable victories in the tournament's history. Yuzvendra Chahal emerged as the star of the match, claiming four wickets.

Following the victory over the reigning champions KKR, Punjab Kings head coach Ricky Ponting disclosed that Chahal was not at full fitness due to a shoulder injury sustained in the previous match against Sunrisers Hyderabad.

Ponting recounted his conversation with the leg-spinner during the warm-up, noting that Chahal's confidence was surprising.

"What about Chahal tonight? What an impressive bowling performance! He underwent a fitness test before today's game due to the shoulder injury he sustained in the last match. I pulled him aside during the warm-up, looked him in the eye, and asked, 'Mate, are you okay?' He confidently replied, 'Coach, I am 100 percent ready, let me out there,'" Ponting shared with the host broadcaster.

In the match against KKR, Chahal was brought into the bowling attack in the seventh over, with KKR in a strong position at 62/2. However, the 34-year-old made an immediate impact by dismissing KKR captain Ajinkya Rahane. He followed this by taking the wickets of Angkrish Raghuvanshi, Rinku Singh, and Ramandeep Singh, turning the tide in favor of the Punjab Kings.

It is worth noting that prior to the match against KKR, Chahal had been struggling to find his rhythm, with wickets proving elusive. He had also faced criticism from former Indian cricketers Wasim Jaffer and Piyush Chawla for his overly defensive bowling approach.

‘Best win I have had in the IPL’

After Marco Jansen claimed the final wicket of Andre Russell, prompting an emotional reaction from Ricky Ponting in the dugout. He was visibly exhilarated, celebrating alongside the rest of the support staff and team members.

In the match against KKR, PBKS captain Shreyas won the toss and chose to bat first. Unfortunately, the team was dismissed for a mere 111 runs, with Harshit Rana taking three wickets.

Ponting described this victory as the most significant he has experienced as a coach in the IPL.

"My heart rate is still elevated. At 50 years old, I don't need more matches like this. Defending a total of 112 with just 16 runs to spare was challenging. We informed the players at the halfway point that such small targets can often be the most difficult to chase. The pitch was not easy, as evidenced throughout the match; it was definitely holding up," Ponting remarked.

"I believe that at the halfway stage, very few people around the world thought we could defend that total, yet we did. Credit goes to all the players; they were outstanding tonight. Victories like this are always the most gratifying, and if you can achieve such a win, it ranks among the best experiences for anyone involved. I have coached numerous games in the IPL, and this might just be the finest victory I have ever had," he concluded.

Read Also: Bingtian Approaches Retirement: 100m Sprint Too Quick for Asia

Get the latest Bollywood entertainment news, trending celebrity news, latest celebrity news, new movie reviews, latest entertainment news, latest Bollywood news, and Bollywood celebrity fashion & style updates!