A Night Of Records: Punjab Kings Hammer Kolkata In A High-Scoring Spectacle
KOLKATA: The Indian Premier League (IPL) witnessed a batting masterclass on Friday, April 26th, as the Punjab Kings chased down a mammoth total against the Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) at the Eden Gardens.
In a match that rewrote T20 history books, both sides combined for a staggering 523 runs, making it the joint-second highest scoring T20 match ever.
KKR, electing to bat first, piled on a massive 261 runs on the board, powered by brilliant knocks from Phil Salt (75) and Sunil Narine (71). However, their total proved to be inadequate against a rampant Punjab Kings batting line-up.
Jonny Bairstow stole the show with a breathtaking century (108 off 48 balls), leading the Kings to a comprehensive victory with eight wickets and eight balls to spare.
His knock, the second-fastest IPL century for Punjab Kings, was laced with power and precision, and is a strong contender for the knock of the tournament.
This epic encounter also saw several records tumble:
- Highest Successful Chase in T20 History: Punjab Kings surpassed the previous record held by South Africa to chase down the daunting target.
- Highest Second Innings Score in T20 History: The Kings’ chase eclipsed the mark set by Royal Challengers Bangalore earlier in IPL 2024.
- Most Sixes in a T20 Match: The match witnessed an incredible 42 sixes, shattering the previous record set just a month ago.
- Most Sixes by a Team in an IPL Innings: Punjab Kings smashed a staggering 24 sixes, rewriting the record books for the tournament.
- Joint Second-Highest Aggregate in T20 History: The combined score of 523 runs cemented the match’s place among the highest-scoring T20 encounters ever.
- This high-scoring thriller not only underlined the batting prowess in IPL 2024, but also highlighted the Eden Gardens’ reputation as a batsman’s paradise. Notably, both KKR and Punjab Kings surpassed the highest T20 total at the venue during their respective innings.
With this win, Punjab Kings climbed to the eighth position in the points table, while KKR held onto their second spot despite the loss.