Punjab Kings pulled off the unthinkable on a wild night in New Chandigarh—defending the lowest total in IPL history to stun Kolkata Knight Riders and revive their season in style.

Just days after failing to defend 245, PBKS flipped the script completely. KKR looked in control with Rahane and Raghuvanshi cruising, even eyeing a finish under 14.1 overs to go top of the table. But the moment Rahane walked off without a review, the game flipped.

Yuzvendra Chahal, quiet all season, came roaring back with a game-changing spell that triggered a collapse—KKR lost 8 wickets for just 23 runs. Glenn Maxwell, Arshdeep Singh, and Marco Jansen backed him up brilliantly, holding their nerve even as Andre Russell threatened a late heist.

From heartbreak last match to pure joy tonight, PBKS fans finally had their moment, while KKR were left stunned, their dreams dismantled in a blink.

It was gritty, dramatic, and proof that low scores can still bring high-octane thrillers in T20 cricket.

Continue the story here:Ponting: That might be the best win I've ever had as coach in IPL

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International games

• No international games today

India’s August Assignment: Three ODIs, Three T20Is in Bangladesh

India will travel to Bangladesh in August for a six-match white-ball series comprising three ODIs and three T20Is. This will be India's first-ever bilateral T20I series in Bangladesh and their first white-ball-only tour of the country since 2014.

The tour will serve as vital preparation ahead of the 2025 T20 Asia Cup, which India is set to host. The first two ODIs and final two T20Is will be played at the Shere Bangla National Stadium in Dhaka, while Chattogram's Bir Shrestha Shaheed Flight Lieutenant Motiur Rahman Cricket Stadium will host the third ODI and first T20I.

India are scheduled to arrive in Dhaka on August 13. They will play the ODIs on August 17, 20, and 23, followed by the T20Is on August 26, 29, and 31.

BCB’s chief executive Nizam Uddin Chowdhury expressed excitement about the series: "India have set the benchmark in international cricket across all formats and the cricket-loving millions in both countries are sure to enjoy this contest."

August isn’t typically Bangladesh’s cricket season, with only a handful of games ever played during this period, including a Test and T20I series against Australia. However, India are familiar with off-season tours in the region, having last played ODIs there in June 2014.

This series promises high-intensity action and a fitting lead-up to Asia’s premier T20 competition.

Domestic cricket + T20 leagues

• Punjab Kings vs Kolkata Knight Riders

  PBKS 111 (15.3)

  KKR 95 (15.1)

  Punjab Kings won by 16 runs

On This Day

A packed crowd in St John's, Antigua witnessed pure cricketing carnage as their hero, Sir Viv Richards, tore through England with a jaw-dropping century off just 56 balls—the fastest in Test history at the time. His unbeaten 110 came off 58 deliveries, studded with seven fours and seven towering sixes.

There was flair, swagger, and sheer brutality: a one-handed swipe over long-on off John Emburey, and a missile-straight six off Ian Botham that nearly took his head off.

Just two days later, West Indies wrapped up a 240-run win and completed yet another blackwash of England, their second in 18 months. Roger Harper chipped in with a miserly 12-8-10-3, and despite bowling 61 no-balls, the hosts made it look easy.

Coming tomorrow

• Delhi Capitals vs Rajasthan Royals

Delhi Capitals vs Rajasthan Royals

After a heartbreaking 12-run loss to Mumbai Indians in their homecoming fixture, Delhi Capitals will be itching to bounce back when they face a struggling Rajasthan Royals on Wednesday at the Arun Jaitley Stadium.

Karun Nair’s gutsy knock on IPL return wasn’t enough last time as DC stumbled from a strong position, undone by a middle-order collapse and some sharp MI tactics with the second new ball. Despite the presence of dew and a target of 206, DC couldn’t finish the job—leaving them hungry for redemption.

While DC’s batting unit has shown flashes of brilliance, their struggles against spin are something they’ll want to fix quickly, especially on a Kotla surface that’s offering turn. Despite boasting a strong strike-rate against spin, their average remains concerningly low—just 24.47, second-worst in the league. With nine of the 12 wickets against MI falling to spin, Delhi will need to reassess their approach.

Rajasthan Royals, on the other hand, are in a funk of their own. Their batters too have fared poorly against spin, and with Kuldeep Yadav bowling like a dream—boasting the best economy (5.6) this season—they’ll have their hands full. Axar Patel also has a psychological edge over RR’s key batters like Sanju Samson and Nitish Rana.

RR’s top order hasn’t fired as expected—Riyan Parag is struggling for consistency, while Samson, Rana, Jaiswal and Hetmyer are yet to hit top gear. They’ll hope Delhi’s batting-friendly conditions offer a chance to reset and reignite their season.

It’s a high-stakes clash with both teams needing a turnaround—DC to reclaim their top spot, and RR to arrest their slide.

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