If you have been watching IPL for a long time, you must know that Kolkata Knight Riders and Punjab Kings share a very fierce rivalry. Punjab Kings were just one step away from winning a trophy in 2014, but it was Kolkata Knight Riders who snatched it away, winning the final and securing their first-ever IPL trophy.
The rivalry has been going over the years and reignited again last year during a high-scoring thriller where Punjab Kings orchestrated an unexpected chase, boosting the intensity of this contest. The two teams are meeting again today in IPL 2025, this time in Mullanpur. It promises to be a crazy contest—will we see 500 runs today again or will the bowlers host the party at Mulanpur?
The rain of runs in Eden Gardens
Last year when Punjab Kings faced Kolkata Knight Riders at Eden Gardens, it was nothing short of a thrilling spectacle. The match witnessed breathtaking moments that actually changed the way T20 cricket is perceived.
We have seen many IPL high scores, but we have never seen a high score chased like this one. Batting first, Kolkata Knight Riders posted 261 runs, losing 6 wickets in 20 overs. Phil Salt scored 75 runs off 37 balls, and Sunil Narine added 71 off 32 deliveries, giving a solid start to the team and scoring heavily.
Punjab’s historic chase
It seemed like Punjab wouldn’t be able to chase this tremendous score, but Jonny Bairstow had other plans. He played a knock of 108 runs off 48 balls, finishing the match unbeaten and successfully chasing 262 runs in just 18.2 overs. Shashank Singh’s cameo of 68 runs off 28 balls fuelled the chase; he hit six sixes and two boundaries, which was phenomenal.
The match turned out to be a nightmare for bowlers, with both teams combining for a staggering 523 runs, the highest aggregate in an IPL match. The bowlers were left shell-shocked as the batsmen took them for a ride, hitting 42 sixes in total, the most in a Men’s T20 match.
.@PunjabKingsIPL are roaring again
— IndianPremierLeague (@IPL) April 26, 2024
A special victory at the Eden Gardens for #PBKS who secure the highest successful run chase in the IPL and T20s
Scorecardhttps://t.co/T9DxmbgIWu#TATAIPL | #KKRvPBKS pic.twitter.com/FNxVD8ZeW6
Can we see 500 runs again today?
It’s hard to say for sure, but we might actually see 500 runs today because Mullanpur is one of the batting-friendly pitches. In the last two matches at this venue, scores have gone over 200. Rajasthan Royals scored 205 runs against Punjab Kings, and in another match, Punjab Kings scored 299 against Chennai Super Kings. So, there might be a high chance of this being a high-scoring contest, and we might see 500 runs again, or maybe 300 runs in one innings. It could be another nightmare for the bowlers, but only time will tell.
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