Kolkata Knight Riders captain Ajinkya Rahane didn’t mince his words after his side crumbled to a stunning 16-run defeat against Punjab Kings in Mullanpur — a match that saw PBKS defend the lowest total in IPL history.
Speaking at the post-match presentation, Rahane admitted the batting unit faltered badly and took personal responsibility for his LBW dismissal, which became a pivotal moment in the second innings. “Nothing to explain, we all saw what happened there. Pretty disappointed with the effort. I’ll take the blame, played the wrong shot, although it was missing,” said the KKR skipper.
He further added that the call not to review his LBW was influenced by a quick conversation with Angkrish Raghuvanshi, “He said it could be umpire’s call. I wasn’t sure as well, so I didn’t take the chance.”
Despite a strong performance by the KKR bowling unit — who dismissed PBKS for just 111 in 15.3 overs — the batters failed to apply themselves, eventually folding for 95. “We batted really badly as a unit, and we take full responsibility. The bowlers did their job. This was an easy chase. It was a poor batting display,” Rahane admitted.
The skipper urged his team to stay positive, even though the defeat was mentally jarring. “At the moment, too many things going in my head… Still have to be positive. Half the tournament is left.”
Match Recap
- PBKS posted just 111 after losing 10 wickets in 15.3 overs.
- Chahal spun a match-defining spell, picking 4 wickets including Rinku Singh and Ramandeep in consecutive deliveries.
- Maxwell and Arshdeep provided crucial breakthroughs while Marco Jansen cleaned up the tail.
- Despite Russell’s late blitz (17 off 11), KKR collapsed from a promising position to be bowled out for 95.
- This defeat now marks the lowest total (111) ever defended in IPL history, surpassing previous records.
Stay tuned for more fallout and post-match reactions.
