KKR, PBKS share points after washout at Eden Gardens

Rain played a spoilsport at Eden Gardens, cutting short Kolkata Knight Riders` run chase after just one wicket and seven runs, forcing the match to end in a no-result. With each team awarded a point, Punjab Kings moved up to fourth place on the IPL 2025 table with 11 points from nine games, while KKR slipped to seventh with seven points.

Earlier, young sensations Priyansh Arya and Prabhsimran Singh lit up the Eden Gardens with a batting masterclass, powering Punjab Kings to an imposing 201 for 4. Their breathtaking 120-run opening stand set the tone for a commanding performance against the hosts.

Put in to bat first, Punjab Kings came out firing on all cylinders. Arya, in sparkling form this season, led the assault with a scintillating knock. The left-hander, who earlier this season smashed the fourth joint-fastest century in IPL history, continued his dream run, hammering 69 off just 35 deliveries. His innings was laced with a flurry of authoritative boundaries and towering sixes that left the KKR bowlers scrambling.

At the other end, Singh provided the perfect support, blending aggression with smart rotation of strike. His polished innings of 83 off 49 balls ensured that Punjab kept the momentum firmly in their grasp, keeping the Knight Riders under relentless pressure.

The Knight Riders` bowling attack, spearheaded by Vaibhav Arora, Varun Chakravarthy, and Andre Russell, had no answers initially as the Punjab openers dominated proceedings. It wasn’t until the 12th over that KKR managed to break the stand, with Arora picking up the crucial wicket of Arya. Arora finished with respectable figures of 2 for 34, while Chakravarthy (1 for 39) and Russell (1 for 27) chipped in as PBKS lost quick wickets during the middle overs.

Despite the early fireworks, Punjab Kings couldn’t fully capitalise on their blistering start. A cluster of dismissals slowed their scoring rate slightly, allowing KKR to pull back and restrict the visitors from setting an even more daunting target.

Nonetheless, captain Shreyas Iyer anchored the innings expertly at the back end, remaining unbeaten on 25 to ensure that PBKS crossed the 200-run mark, giving their bowlers a strong total to defend, until the rain intervened and forced an anticlimactic end to a thrilling contest.