Ricky Ponting, a veteran head coach in the IPL, has been in charge of three different franchises for several years. If he believes the Tuesday encounter in Mullanpur “might just be about the best win” he’s ever had in the IPL, then it must have been a remarkable game. Punjab Kings and Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) both bowled out for 206, the same amount of runs Punjab scored in 17.2 overs during their previous encounter against Sunrisers Hyderabad. Despite posting a massive total of 245, Punjab still lost.
On Tuesday, the Punjab Kings managed to defend a modest total of 111 runs against Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR), despite both teams failing with the bat on a slow, gripping wicket. The Kings needed everything to go their way, and although there were a few fielding errors, they remained focused and kept the pressure on KKR. The pitch wasn’t as bad as it seemed, but both teams made reckless shots, contributing to the low scores.
Punjab Kings’ Bowlers Lead Stunning Win Over KKR
KKR’s batting collapse worsened due to tight bowling from Punjab Kings, including Chahal, Bartlett, Jansen, and Arshdeep. Despite KKR’s struggles and losing their impact substitution, Punjab’s bowlers stayed in control and delivered a brilliant performance, securing a surprising victory.
PBKS head coach Ricky Ponting shared his excitement after the match, saying, “My heart rate’s still over 200. Three days ago, we couldn’t defend 246, and now we’ve defended 112. Cricket’s a funny game.” He added that defending small totals like 112 can often be harder than larger ones, especially on a challenging pitch, which made the win even more remarkable.
The Kings made some adjustments, bringing in Bartlett to replace the injured Lockie Ferguson. With Bartlett being a powerplay specialist, Arshdeep took on the middle overs role, which worked well for the team.
Ponting Credits Tactical Changes for Punjab Kings’ Big Win Over KKR
“You can probably see the changes we made with the ball. We had Marco [Jansen] bowl the first over and [Xavier] Bartlett the second, roles typically handled by Arshdeep [Singh] with the new ball. But tonight’s match-ups suggested Jansen and Bartlett were a better fit, so we made those changes.”
He added, “Wins like this are always the sweetest. If we pull this off, it’ll be one of the best victories most of us have experienced. I’ve coached many IPL games, and this could be the best win I’ve ever had.”
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