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Deadspin | Skidding Senators brace for tall task vs. Hurricanes  Feb 3, 2026; Raleigh, North Carolina, USA;  Ottawa Senators center Tim Stützle (18) celebrates his goal with  left wing Brady Tkachuk (7) against the Carolina Hurricanes during the second period at Lenovo Center. Mandatory Credit: James Guillory-Imagn Images   The Ottawa Senators may be running out of time as they run into one of the best teams in the Eastern Conference.  The Senators do have a plan for Sunday’s game against the visiting Carolina Hurricanes.  “Simplify and try to work a little harder,” Ottawa forward Shane Pinto said. “Yeah, (Sunday) is a big game. Everybody knows the magnitude of these games.”  The Senators (39-27-10, 88 points) have lost four of their last five games as they compete with a few other teams for one of the last playoff spots in the Eastern Conference. They dropped a 4-1 decision to the visiting Minnesota Wild on Saturday afternoon.  There’s little room for error on the part of Ottawa.  “With some of our injuries, we’ve got to be spot-on,” Senators coach Travis Green said.  The Hurricanes have played several desperate teams recently and they find benefits in that.  “When you play teams that are kind of on that bubble, it’s good for you to prep for the playoffs,” Carolina forward Seth Jarvis said.  The Hurricanes (49-21-6, 104 points) already have secured a playoff spot and are one point away from clinching the Metropolitan Division title.  “We all know that the prize is still out there,” Carolina coach Rod Brind’Amour said of the postseason ahead. “This basically qualifies you to go after it.”  They’ve won four of their last five games, including Saturday night’s 4-3 home victory against the New York Islanders. In their last two games combined, the Hurricanes have allowed opponents to put only 26 shots on goal.  “That was pretty impressive,” Brind’Amour said. “I think our guys played the way we want them to.”  Green said there were uncharacteristic defensive lapses from the Senators in Saturday’s game against Minnesota.   “That’s easy to say, ‘Play with urgency,'” Green said. “Our guys are trying. Our guys want to win. They want to win bad.”  A clunky power play didn’t help matters for the Senators.  “Their execution can probably be better,” Green said. “We’ve got to learn from the game, and we’ve got another game (Sunday). That’s the great part of this season, a lot of games coming, a lot of games that matter and we’ve got to respond (Sunday).”  The Hurricanes have been strong on special teams. They’ve notched a league-high 12 short-handed goals this season, including one in each of the past three contests.  Jarvis had two goals Saturday, pushing his team-leading total to 32.  “I’ve had a lot of chances, but to see it go in is huge,” Jarvis said after ending his three-game goal drought.  Ottawa had defenseman Jake Sanderson back in the lineup for the first time in nearly a month. He said he was a little rusty but is determined to make an impact.  “I think this time of the year everybody is playing with some sort of injuries,” Sanderson said.  Carolina will have goalie Frederik Andersen back in net after Brandon Bussi worked Saturday night.  Hurricanes center Sebastian Aho is riding a five-game point streak (one goal, five assists).  Carolina’s visit marks the third game in Ottawa’s five-game homestand.  –Field Level Media   #Deadspin #Skidding #Senators #brace #tall #task #Hurricanes

Deadspin | Skidding Senators brace for tall task vs. Hurricanes
Deadspin | Skidding Senators brace for tall task vs. Hurricanes  Feb 3, 2026; Raleigh, North Carolina, USA;  Ottawa Senators center Tim Stützle (18) celebrates his goal with  left wing Brady Tkachuk (7) against the Carolina Hurricanes during the second period at Lenovo Center. Mandatory Credit: James Guillory-Imagn Images   The Ottawa Senators may be running out of time as they run into one of the best teams in the Eastern Conference.  The Senators do have a plan for Sunday’s game against the visiting Carolina Hurricanes.  “Simplify and try to work a little harder,” Ottawa forward Shane Pinto said. “Yeah, (Sunday) is a big game. Everybody knows the magnitude of these games.”  The Senators (39-27-10, 88 points) have lost four of their last five games as they compete with a few other teams for one of the last playoff spots in the Eastern Conference. They dropped a 4-1 decision to the visiting Minnesota Wild on Saturday afternoon.  There’s little room for error on the part of Ottawa.  “With some of our injuries, we’ve got to be spot-on,” Senators coach Travis Green said.  The Hurricanes have played several desperate teams recently and they find benefits in that.  “When you play teams that are kind of on that bubble, it’s good for you to prep for the playoffs,” Carolina forward Seth Jarvis said.  The Hurricanes (49-21-6, 104 points) already have secured a playoff spot and are one point away from clinching the Metropolitan Division title.  “We all know that the prize is still out there,” Carolina coach Rod Brind’Amour said of the postseason ahead. “This basically qualifies you to go after it.”  They’ve won four of their last five games, including Saturday night’s 4-3 home victory against the New York Islanders. In their last two games combined, the Hurricanes have allowed opponents to put only 26 shots on goal.  “That was pretty impressive,” Brind’Amour said. “I think our guys played the way we want them to.”  Green said there were uncharacteristic defensive lapses from the Senators in Saturday’s game against Minnesota.   “That’s easy to say, ‘Play with urgency,'” Green said. “Our guys are trying. Our guys want to win. They want to win bad.”  A clunky power play didn’t help matters for the Senators.  “Their execution can probably be better,” Green said. “We’ve got to learn from the game, and we’ve got another game (Sunday). That’s the great part of this season, a lot of games coming, a lot of games that matter and we’ve got to respond (Sunday).”  The Hurricanes have been strong on special teams. They’ve notched a league-high 12 short-handed goals this season, including one in each of the past three contests.  Jarvis had two goals Saturday, pushing his team-leading total to 32.  “I’ve had a lot of chances, but to see it go in is huge,” Jarvis said after ending his three-game goal drought.  Ottawa had defenseman Jake Sanderson back in the lineup for the first time in nearly a month. He said he was a little rusty but is determined to make an impact.  “I think this time of the year everybody is playing with some sort of injuries,” Sanderson said.  Carolina will have goalie Frederik Andersen back in net after Brandon Bussi worked Saturday night.  Hurricanes center Sebastian Aho is riding a five-game point streak (one goal, five assists).  Carolina’s visit marks the third game in Ottawa’s five-game homestand.  –Field Level Media   #Deadspin #Skidding #Senators #brace #tall #task #HurricanesFeb 3, 2026; Raleigh, North Carolina, USA; Ottawa Senators center Tim Stützle (18) celebrates his goal with left wing Brady Tkachuk (7) against the Carolina Hurricanes during the second period at Lenovo Center. Mandatory Credit: James Guillory-Imagn Images

The Ottawa Senators may be running out of time as they run into one of the best teams in the Eastern Conference.

The Senators do have a plan for Sunday’s game against the visiting Carolina Hurricanes.

“Simplify and try to work a little harder,” Ottawa forward Shane Pinto said. “Yeah, (Sunday) is a big game. Everybody knows the magnitude of these games.”

The Senators (39-27-10, 88 points) have lost four of their last five games as they compete with a few other teams for one of the last playoff spots in the Eastern Conference. They dropped a 4-1 decision to the visiting Minnesota Wild on Saturday afternoon.

There’s little room for error on the part of Ottawa.

“With some of our injuries, we’ve got to be spot-on,” Senators coach Travis Green said.

The Hurricanes have played several desperate teams recently and they find benefits in that.

“When you play teams that are kind of on that bubble, it’s good for you to prep for the playoffs,” Carolina forward Seth Jarvis said.

The Hurricanes (49-21-6, 104 points) already have secured a playoff spot and are one point away from clinching the Metropolitan Division title.

“We all know that the prize is still out there,” Carolina coach Rod Brind’Amour said of the postseason ahead. “This basically qualifies you to go after it.”

They’ve won four of their last five games, including Saturday night’s 4-3 home victory against the New York Islanders. In their last two games combined, the Hurricanes have allowed opponents to put only 26 shots on goal.

“That was pretty impressive,” Brind’Amour said. “I think our guys played the way we want them to.”


Green said there were uncharacteristic defensive lapses from the Senators in Saturday’s game against Minnesota.

“That’s easy to say, ‘Play with urgency,'” Green said. “Our guys are trying. Our guys want to win. They want to win bad.”

A clunky power play didn’t help matters for the Senators.

“Their execution can probably be better,” Green said. “We’ve got to learn from the game, and we’ve got another game (Sunday). That’s the great part of this season, a lot of games coming, a lot of games that matter and we’ve got to respond (Sunday).”

The Hurricanes have been strong on special teams. They’ve notched a league-high 12 short-handed goals this season, including one in each of the past three contests.

Jarvis had two goals Saturday, pushing his team-leading total to 32.

“I’ve had a lot of chances, but to see it go in is huge,” Jarvis said after ending his three-game goal drought.

Ottawa had defenseman Jake Sanderson back in the lineup for the first time in nearly a month. He said he was a little rusty but is determined to make an impact.

“I think this time of the year everybody is playing with some sort of injuries,” Sanderson said.

Carolina will have goalie Frederik Andersen back in net after Brandon Bussi worked Saturday night.

Hurricanes center Sebastian Aho is riding a five-game point streak (one goal, five assists).

Carolina’s visit marks the third game in Ottawa’s five-game homestand.

–Field Level Media

#Deadspin #Skidding #Senators #brace #tall #task #Hurricanes

Feb 3, 2026; Raleigh, North Carolina, USA; Ottawa Senators center Tim Stützle (18) celebrates his goal with left wing Brady Tkachuk (7) against the Carolina Hurricanes during the second period at Lenovo Center. Mandatory Credit: James Guillory-Imagn Images

The Ottawa Senators may be running out of time as they run into one of the best teams in the Eastern Conference.

The Senators do have a plan for Sunday’s game against the visiting Carolina Hurricanes.

“Simplify and try to work a little harder,” Ottawa forward Shane Pinto said. “Yeah, (Sunday) is a big game. Everybody knows the magnitude of these games.”

The Senators (39-27-10, 88 points) have lost four of their last five games as they compete with a few other teams for one of the last playoff spots in the Eastern Conference. They dropped a 4-1 decision to the visiting Minnesota Wild on Saturday afternoon.

There’s little room for error on the part of Ottawa.

“With some of our injuries, we’ve got to be spot-on,” Senators coach Travis Green said.

The Hurricanes have played several desperate teams recently and they find benefits in that.

“When you play teams that are kind of on that bubble, it’s good for you to prep for the playoffs,” Carolina forward Seth Jarvis said.

The Hurricanes (49-21-6, 104 points) already have secured a playoff spot and are one point away from clinching the Metropolitan Division title.

“We all know that the prize is still out there,” Carolina coach Rod Brind’Amour said of the postseason ahead. “This basically qualifies you to go after it.”

They’ve won four of their last five games, including Saturday night’s 4-3 home victory against the New York Islanders. In their last two games combined, the Hurricanes have allowed opponents to put only 26 shots on goal.

“That was pretty impressive,” Brind’Amour said. “I think our guys played the way we want them to.”

Green said there were uncharacteristic defensive lapses from the Senators in Saturday’s game against Minnesota.

“That’s easy to say, ‘Play with urgency,'” Green said. “Our guys are trying. Our guys want to win. They want to win bad.”

A clunky power play didn’t help matters for the Senators.

“Their execution can probably be better,” Green said. “We’ve got to learn from the game, and we’ve got another game (Sunday). That’s the great part of this season, a lot of games coming, a lot of games that matter and we’ve got to respond (Sunday).”

The Hurricanes have been strong on special teams. They’ve notched a league-high 12 short-handed goals this season, including one in each of the past three contests.

Jarvis had two goals Saturday, pushing his team-leading total to 32.

“I’ve had a lot of chances, but to see it go in is huge,” Jarvis said after ending his three-game goal drought.

Ottawa had defenseman Jake Sanderson back in the lineup for the first time in nearly a month. He said he was a little rusty but is determined to make an impact.

“I think this time of the year everybody is playing with some sort of injuries,” Sanderson said.

Carolina will have goalie Frederik Andersen back in net after Brandon Bussi worked Saturday night.

Hurricanes center Sebastian Aho is riding a five-game point streak (one goal, five assists).

Carolina’s visit marks the third game in Ottawa’s five-game homestand.

–Field Level Media

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#Deadspin #Skidding #Senators #brace #tall #task #Hurricanes

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IFL 2025-26: Aizawl FC holds Sreenidi Deccan to 1-1 draw <div id="content-body-70827535" itemprop="articleBody"><p>Aizawl FC held Sreenidi Deccan FC to a 1-1 draw in their Indian Football League (IFL) 2025–26 clash at the Deccan Arena on Sunday.</p><p>While Colombian forward David Castañeda Munoz gave the host the lead in the first half, an own goal by defender Jagdeep Singh restored parity late in the second period.</p><p>The result saw the Deccan Warriors move up to second in the table with 12 points from seven matches, behind Diamond Harbour FC, which has a game in hand.</p><p>Aizawl, meanwhile, remains fifth with nine points from the same number of games.</p><p>Sreenidi dominated proceedings from kick-off and created early opportunities through a series of free kicks in dangerous areas. Munoz fired one wide, while Romawia struck the crossbar with another, offering a glimpse of what was to follow.</p><p><b>ALSO READ | <a href="https://sportstar.thehindu.com/football/indian-football/sporting-club-delhi-kerala-blasters-score-results-isl-2025-26-scd-v-kbfc-highlights-goals-standings-football-news/article70826988.ece" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">ISL 2025-26: Aimen scores against former club as Sporting Club Delhi beats Kerala Blasters</a></b></p><p>The breakthrough arrived just before the half-hour mark. A long ball from Hardik Bhatt found Munoz in space at the edge of the box. The Colombian controlled superbly with his back to the goal before turning and firing a right-footed effort past Lalhruai at the near post.</p><p>Paulo Cezar, who impressed with his physical presence and attacking intent before being forced off through injury, came close to doubling the lead in stoppage time, but his close-range header drifted wide. Despite dominating possession, Sreenidi went into the break with only a slender advantage.</p><p>Fanai was the first to make a move in the second half, introducing Hriata from the bench in place of Vincent around the 65th minute.</p><p>Sreenidi’s intense pressing disrupted Aizawl’s short passing rhythm, forcing the visitor to adopt a more direct approach. Uzbek defender Timur Talipov delivered several long balls into the box, and the equaliser eventually came from one such situation.</p><p>Captain Rempuia swung in a cross from the right flank, and Jagdeep Singh, attempting to clear, inadvertently headed the ball into his own net over goalkeeper Kamaljit Singh.</p><p>The goal came late in the contest, and despite seven minutes of added time, Sreenidi was unable to find a winner. Both sides ultimately shared the spoils, with Aizawl producing a resilient second-half performance to earn a deserved point.</p><p class="publish-time" id="end-of-article">Published on Apr 05, 2026</p></div> #IFL #Aizawl #holds #Sreenidi #Deccan #draw

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Celebrities Celebrating Easter 2026: Photos of the Stars

Deadspin | Oklahoma, West Virginia see momentum opportunity in Crown championship  Mar 13, 2026; Nashville, TN, USA;  Oklahoma Sooners head coach Porter Moser reacts to a called foul against the Arkansas Razorbacks during the second half at Bridgestone Arena. Mandatory Credit: Steve Roberts-Imagn Imagesduring the first half    This time last year, Nebraska took home the inaugural College Basketball Crown trophy. The winner of Sunday’s championship game in Las Vegas between Oklahoma and West Virginia will hope to carry similar momentum into next season.  Oklahoma (21-15) endured a nine-game losing streak in the heart of Southeastern Conference play, ultimately dooming its NCAA Tournament chances before finishing as the first team left out of the 68-team field.  The Sooners face former Big 12 rival West Virginia on Sunday in the program’s first championship game since their 1991 NIT final loss to Stanford. For Oklahoma coach Porter Moser, the decision to accept the bid wasn’t a tough one, and so far, it’s paid off.  “I’m not going to lie, it was a very hard Selection Sunday,” Moser said. “The emotions were very raw, because of how much these guys battled through when no one else believed. We felt we should have been in (the tournament), but that’s for a later discussion. We could either talk about that, or we could show them why they made a mistake.”  After beating Colorado 90-86 in overtime on Wednesday in the quarterfinals, Oklahoma got 21 points from Xzayvier Brown in its 82-69 victory over Baylor on Saturday. Nijel Pack’s 16.6 points per game pace the Sooners, while Brown adds 15.5.  West Virginia (20-14) beat Creighton 87-70 in the semifinals on Saturday to earn its first 20-win season since the 2019-20 campaign. One more victory would give the Mountaineers their first postseason tournament title since winning the 2007 NIT.   First-year head coach Ross Hodge’s team flirted with the NCAA Tournament bubble all season. When that dream fell short, there were no doubts about heading to Las Vegas.  “There was no conversation that needed to be had about playing,” Hodge said. “These guys love each other. They love the university. They love the state of West Virginia. It’s their heart and their gratitude that is directly responsible for us to be in the position that we’re going to be in (Sunday).”  Freshman DJ Thomas scored 20 points in the Mountaineers’ win over Creighton — his second most this season. Honor Huff leads West Virginia with 15.9 points per game, followed by Brenen Lorient’s 11.8.  Nebraska followed up its CBC title last season by winning a school-record 28 games this season, including the first two NCAA Tournament victories in program history.  –Field Level Media   #Deadspin #Oklahoma #West #Virginia #momentum #opportunity #Crown #championshipMar 13, 2026; Nashville, TN, USA; Oklahoma Sooners head coach Porter Moser reacts to a called foul against the Arkansas Razorbacks during the second half at Bridgestone Arena. Mandatory Credit: Steve Roberts-Imagn Imagesduring the first half

This time last year, Nebraska took home the inaugural College Basketball Crown trophy. The winner of Sunday’s championship game in Las Vegas between Oklahoma and West Virginia will hope to carry similar momentum into next season.

Oklahoma (21-15) endured a nine-game losing streak in the heart of Southeastern Conference play, ultimately dooming its NCAA Tournament chances before finishing as the first team left out of the 68-team field.

The Sooners face former Big 12 rival West Virginia on Sunday in the program’s first championship game since their 1991 NIT final loss to Stanford. For Oklahoma coach Porter Moser, the decision to accept the bid wasn’t a tough one, and so far, it’s paid off.

“I’m not going to lie, it was a very hard Selection Sunday,” Moser said. “The emotions were very raw, because of how much these guys battled through when no one else believed. We felt we should have been in (the tournament), but that’s for a later discussion. We could either talk about that, or we could show them why they made a mistake.”

After beating Colorado 90-86 in overtime on Wednesday in the quarterfinals, Oklahoma got 21 points from Xzayvier Brown in its 82-69 victory over Baylor on Saturday. Nijel Pack’s 16.6 points per game pace the Sooners, while Brown adds 15.5.


West Virginia (20-14) beat Creighton 87-70 in the semifinals on Saturday to earn its first 20-win season since the 2019-20 campaign. One more victory would give the Mountaineers their first postseason tournament title since winning the 2007 NIT.

First-year head coach Ross Hodge’s team flirted with the NCAA Tournament bubble all season. When that dream fell short, there were no doubts about heading to Las Vegas.

“There was no conversation that needed to be had about playing,” Hodge said. “These guys love each other. They love the university. They love the state of West Virginia. It’s their heart and their gratitude that is directly responsible for us to be in the position that we’re going to be in (Sunday).”

Freshman DJ Thomas scored 20 points in the Mountaineers’ win over Creighton — his second most this season. Honor Huff leads West Virginia with 15.9 points per game, followed by Brenen Lorient’s 11.8.

Nebraska followed up its CBC title last season by winning a school-record 28 games this season, including the first two NCAA Tournament victories in program history.

–Field Level Media

#Deadspin #Oklahoma #West #Virginia #momentum #opportunity #Crown #championship">Deadspin | Oklahoma, West Virginia see momentum opportunity in Crown championship  Mar 13, 2026; Nashville, TN, USA;  Oklahoma Sooners head coach Porter Moser reacts to a called foul against the Arkansas Razorbacks during the second half at Bridgestone Arena. Mandatory Credit: Steve Roberts-Imagn Imagesduring the first half    This time last year, Nebraska took home the inaugural College Basketball Crown trophy. The winner of Sunday’s championship game in Las Vegas between Oklahoma and West Virginia will hope to carry similar momentum into next season.  Oklahoma (21-15) endured a nine-game losing streak in the heart of Southeastern Conference play, ultimately dooming its NCAA Tournament chances before finishing as the first team left out of the 68-team field.  The Sooners face former Big 12 rival West Virginia on Sunday in the program’s first championship game since their 1991 NIT final loss to Stanford. For Oklahoma coach Porter Moser, the decision to accept the bid wasn’t a tough one, and so far, it’s paid off.  “I’m not going to lie, it was a very hard Selection Sunday,” Moser said. “The emotions were very raw, because of how much these guys battled through when no one else believed. We felt we should have been in (the tournament), but that’s for a later discussion. We could either talk about that, or we could show them why they made a mistake.”  After beating Colorado 90-86 in overtime on Wednesday in the quarterfinals, Oklahoma got 21 points from Xzayvier Brown in its 82-69 victory over Baylor on Saturday. Nijel Pack’s 16.6 points per game pace the Sooners, while Brown adds 15.5.  West Virginia (20-14) beat Creighton 87-70 in the semifinals on Saturday to earn its first 20-win season since the 2019-20 campaign. One more victory would give the Mountaineers their first postseason tournament title since winning the 2007 NIT.   First-year head coach Ross Hodge’s team flirted with the NCAA Tournament bubble all season. When that dream fell short, there were no doubts about heading to Las Vegas.  “There was no conversation that needed to be had about playing,” Hodge said. “These guys love each other. They love the university. They love the state of West Virginia. It’s their heart and their gratitude that is directly responsible for us to be in the position that we’re going to be in (Sunday).”  Freshman DJ Thomas scored 20 points in the Mountaineers’ win over Creighton — his second most this season. Honor Huff leads West Virginia with 15.9 points per game, followed by Brenen Lorient’s 11.8.  Nebraska followed up its CBC title last season by winning a school-record 28 games this season, including the first two NCAA Tournament victories in program history.  –Field Level Media   #Deadspin #Oklahoma #West #Virginia #momentum #opportunity #Crown #championship

Since 2024, the Indian Premier League has faced a shift in the batting approach of teams. From a rather conventional approach of saving wickets at the start of the innings and blasting off in the slog overs, the majority of the teams shifted to ultra-aggressive batting, which produced outrageous totals that made the 180s, 190s look like a cake-walk.

The contest between the Punjab Kings and Kolkata Knight Riders from the 2025 season broke every accord of the “new normal”, reminding the audience there is still scope for edge-of-the-seat low-scoring encounters.

Punjab and Kolkata have had their fair share of rivalry dating to the final of the 2014 season, where Piyush Chawla hit the winning runs for Kolkata, ending Punjab’s dream run to the final. Last season, Punjab climbed a mountain, breaking the tournament record by chasing down a daunting target of 262. Unbeknownst to Kings, there was another thriller in their next meeting with the Knight Riders.

The match started like any other, where Punjab opted to bat in its new home in Mullanpur, New Chandigarh. Within three overs, PBKS raced to 39 with its openers providing an attacking start. Again, nothing out of the ordinary. Then came the fourth over of Harshit Rana. First, Priyansh Arya found the fielder, falling for 22. Harshit, however, was not done yet. Shreyas Iyer, who was looking to pounce on a stray ball, found the man at deep backward square.

Punjab could never get back into the innings, losing wickets at regular intervals. KKR’s bowling lynchpins Sunil Narine and Varun Chakaravarthy finished with the figures of 2/14 and 2/21, respectively. Somehow, Punjab huffed and puffed to 111.

The chase began with KKR losing both Sunil Narine and Quinton De Kock in the same over, giving PBKS a ray of hope. That ray of hope, however, started to fade as Ajinkya Rahane and Angkrish Raghuvanshi consolidated. In no time, KKR reached 62, well on track to haul down the target.

In walked the wily leggie Yuzvendra Chahal. Just when the wicket seemed to be behaving better compared to the first innings, Chahal started to spin a web around the KKR batting. He removed both Rahane and Raghuvanshi in quick succession as KKR inadvertently pressed the panic button. By the time Chahal ended his dream spell with the figures 4/28, he left KKR tottering with the scoreboard reading 95/8.

The collapse could be credited to the KKR batters being in two minds whether to save wickets or try to score the remaining runs quickly. When Marco Jansen finished the formalities, sending Andre Russell back, the night was done. The Kings managed to restrict KKR to 95, breaking the record for the lowest total ever defended in the 18-year-long history of the IPL.

The result sent shockwaves across the entire cricketing community. At a time when the 250s and 260s were termed as the par score, this match proved that there is still space for low-scoring thrillers, just when the impact of bowlers seemed to be fading off the game.

Published on Apr 05, 2026

#heist #Mullanpur #KKR #PBKS #clash #memories #seasons #humdinger #afresh">The heist of Mullanpur: KKR, PBKS clash with memories of last season’s humdinger still afresh  Since 2024, the Indian Premier League has faced a shift in the batting approach of teams. From a rather conventional approach of saving wickets at the start of the innings and blasting off in the slog overs, the majority of the teams shifted to ultra-aggressive batting, which produced outrageous totals that made the 180s, 190s look like a cake-walk.The contest between the Punjab Kings and Kolkata Knight Riders from the 2025 season broke every accord of the “new normal”, reminding the audience there is still scope for edge-of-the-seat low-scoring encounters.Punjab and Kolkata have had their fair share of rivalry dating to the final of the 2014 season, where Piyush Chawla hit the winning runs for Kolkata, ending Punjab’s dream run to the final. Last season, Punjab climbed a mountain, breaking the tournament record by chasing down a daunting target of 262. Unbeknownst to Kings, there was another thriller in their next meeting with the Knight Riders.The match started like any other, where Punjab opted to bat in its new home in Mullanpur, New Chandigarh.  Within three overs, PBKS raced to 39 with its openers providing an attacking start. Again, nothing out of the ordinary. Then came the fourth over of Harshit Rana. First, Priyansh Arya found the fielder, falling for 22. Harshit, however, was not done yet. Shreyas Iyer, who was looking to pounce on a stray ball, found the man at deep backward square.Punjab could never get back into the innings, losing wickets at regular intervals. KKR’s bowling lynchpins Sunil Narine and Varun Chakaravarthy finished with the figures of 2/14 and 2/21, respectively.  Somehow, Punjab huffed and puffed to 111.The chase began with KKR losing both Sunil Narine and Quinton De Kock in the same over, giving PBKS a ray of hope. That ray of hope, however, started to fade as Ajinkya Rahane and Angkrish Raghuvanshi consolidated. In no time, KKR reached 62, well on track to haul down the target.In walked the wily leggie Yuzvendra Chahal. Just when the wicket seemed to be behaving better compared to the first innings, Chahal started to spin a web around the KKR batting. He removed both Rahane and Raghuvanshi in quick succession as KKR inadvertently pressed the panic button. By the time Chahal ended his dream spell with the figures 4/28, he left KKR tottering with the scoreboard reading 95/8.𝙏𝙃𝙄𝙎. 𝙄𝙎. 𝘾𝙄𝙉𝙀𝙈𝘼 🎬#PBKS have pulled off one of the greatest thrillers in #TATAIPL history 😮Scorecard ▶️ https://t.co/sZtJIQpcbx#PBKSvKKR | @PunjabKingsIPLpic.twitter.com/vYY6rX8TdG— IndianPremierLeague (@IPL) April 15, 2025The collapse could be credited to the KKR batters being in two minds whether to save wickets or try to score the remaining runs quickly. When Marco Jansen finished the formalities, sending Andre Russell back, the night was done. The Kings managed to restrict KKR to 95, breaking the record for the lowest total ever defended in the 18-year-long history of the IPL.The result sent shockwaves across the entire cricketing community. At a time when the 250s and 260s were termed as the par score, this match proved that there is still space for low-scoring thrillers, just when the impact of bowlers seemed to be fading off the game.Published on Apr 05, 2026  #heist #Mullanpur #KKR #PBKS #clash #memories #seasons #humdinger #afresh

The collapse could be credited to the KKR batters being in two minds whether to save wickets or try to score the remaining runs quickly. When Marco Jansen finished the formalities, sending Andre Russell back, the night was done. The Kings managed to restrict KKR to 95, breaking the record for the lowest total ever defended in the 18-year-long history of the IPL.

The result sent shockwaves across the entire cricketing community. At a time when the 250s and 260s were termed as the par score, this match proved that there is still space for low-scoring thrillers, just when the impact of bowlers seemed to be fading off the game.

Published on Apr 05, 2026

#heist #Mullanpur #KKR #PBKS #clash #memories #seasons #humdinger #afresh">The heist of Mullanpur: KKR, PBKS clash with memories of last season’s humdinger still afresh

Since 2024, the Indian Premier League has faced a shift in the batting approach of teams. From a rather conventional approach of saving wickets at the start of the innings and blasting off in the slog overs, the majority of the teams shifted to ultra-aggressive batting, which produced outrageous totals that made the 180s, 190s look like a cake-walk.

The contest between the Punjab Kings and Kolkata Knight Riders from the 2025 season broke every accord of the “new normal”, reminding the audience there is still scope for edge-of-the-seat low-scoring encounters.

Punjab and Kolkata have had their fair share of rivalry dating to the final of the 2014 season, where Piyush Chawla hit the winning runs for Kolkata, ending Punjab’s dream run to the final. Last season, Punjab climbed a mountain, breaking the tournament record by chasing down a daunting target of 262. Unbeknownst to Kings, there was another thriller in their next meeting with the Knight Riders.

The match started like any other, where Punjab opted to bat in its new home in Mullanpur, New Chandigarh. Within three overs, PBKS raced to 39 with its openers providing an attacking start. Again, nothing out of the ordinary. Then came the fourth over of Harshit Rana. First, Priyansh Arya found the fielder, falling for 22. Harshit, however, was not done yet. Shreyas Iyer, who was looking to pounce on a stray ball, found the man at deep backward square.

Punjab could never get back into the innings, losing wickets at regular intervals. KKR’s bowling lynchpins Sunil Narine and Varun Chakaravarthy finished with the figures of 2/14 and 2/21, respectively. Somehow, Punjab huffed and puffed to 111.

The chase began with KKR losing both Sunil Narine and Quinton De Kock in the same over, giving PBKS a ray of hope. That ray of hope, however, started to fade as Ajinkya Rahane and Angkrish Raghuvanshi consolidated. In no time, KKR reached 62, well on track to haul down the target.

In walked the wily leggie Yuzvendra Chahal. Just when the wicket seemed to be behaving better compared to the first innings, Chahal started to spin a web around the KKR batting. He removed both Rahane and Raghuvanshi in quick succession as KKR inadvertently pressed the panic button. By the time Chahal ended his dream spell with the figures 4/28, he left KKR tottering with the scoreboard reading 95/8.

The collapse could be credited to the KKR batters being in two minds whether to save wickets or try to score the remaining runs quickly. When Marco Jansen finished the formalities, sending Andre Russell back, the night was done. The Kings managed to restrict KKR to 95, breaking the record for the lowest total ever defended in the 18-year-long history of the IPL.

The result sent shockwaves across the entire cricketing community. At a time when the 250s and 260s were termed as the par score, this match proved that there is still space for low-scoring thrillers, just when the impact of bowlers seemed to be fading off the game.

Published on Apr 05, 2026

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