Most Matches Won Against PBKS in IPL

The Indian Premier League (IPL) is the most popular T20 cricket league in the world. And one of the underperforming teams in its 15-year history has been the Punjab Kings (PBKS). Out of the 16 franchises that have played in IPL ever, PBKS is the team that has qualified for playoffs the least – just twice in 15 seasons.

In 2023, PBKS will be hungry to change that record. They have appointed a new captain in Shikhar Dhawan and bought some good players like Sam Curran and Sikandar Raza in the auction. However, their squad still looks thin and lacking in experience. It remains to be seen if they can qualify for the playoffs for the first time since 2014.

Before the new season starts, let’s look at the head-to-head record between PBKS and other teams. There are a few teams that have dominated them over the years in IPL matches. Here are the top 5 teams with most wins against Punjab Kings.

5. Sunrisers Hyderabad 

The 2016 IPL champions Sunrisers Hyderabad have a great record against the Punjab Kings. These two teams have faced each other 19 times, with SRH winning 13 of those encounters. 

With bowling spearheaded by the likes of Bhuvneshwar Kumar and Rashid Khan, SRH has blown away Punjab’s batting several times. Some of the highlights of this rivalry include:

– SRH beating PBKS by 45 runs defending just 126 runs in 2018. 

– Kane Williamson scoring an unbeaten 70 to guide SRH to a chase of 152 in 2021.

Overall, SRH has dominated this contest by using their world-class bowling attack to great effect.

4. Mumbai Indians 

The five-time IPL champions Mumbai Indians have won exactly half the matches that they have played against Punjab Kings. In the 28 matches that these two teams have contested, both have 14 wins each.

However, in the last two editions, MI has gotten the better of PBKS – winning both games quite comfortably. Some highlights of this rivalry are:

Rohit Sharma scoring 70* to guide MI’s chase of 166 in IPL 2021
Suryakumar Yadav smashing 43(30) to set up a 6-wicket win in 2022
So while the overall head-to-head is equal, MI has momentum heading into future contests against PBKS.

3. Rajasthan Royals

Much like MI, the inaugural IPL winners Rajasthan Royals are also tied with PBKS when it comes to head-to-head record. These teams have played 24 matches against each other with both RR and PBKS having 14 wins each.

In low-scoring games, RR has often come out on top thanks to their bowling strength. Some highlights include:

Rahul Tewatia defending 12 runs in the final over to win by 4 runs in 2020
Yuzvendra Chahal’s 4/41 restricting Punjab to 195 in 2022
With the addition of quality spinners in Yuzi Chahal and Ravi Ashwin, expect RR to have the edge over PBKS bowlers on helpful pitches.

2. Chennai Super Kings 

When it comes to dominating rivals in IPL, there is no team better than Chennai Super Kings. They have inflicted similar misery on PBKS over the years.

In their 27 meetings so far, CSK has won 15 as against Punjab’s 12 victories. And they also knocked PBKS out in the 2008 IPL semi-final.

With batting legends like MS Dhoni, Suresh Raina, and Faf du Plessis in their line-up, CSK has repeatedly gotten huge scores against Punjab bowlers. Some highlights are:

• Raina scoring 87*(25) balls in a 240-run chase in 2013
• Du Plessis scoring 96 to set up a win while chasing 179 in 2022

As long as CSK has these batting stalwarts, expect them to dominate PBKS.

1. Kolkata Knight Riders

And finally, the team that has inflicted the most misery on PBKS is none other than Kolkata Knight Riders. These teams have faced each other 30 times in IPL history, with KKR winning a whopping 20 of those encounters.

In fact, it was KKR who defeated PBKS in the 2014 IPL final to lift their second title under the captaincy of Gautam Gambhir.

Some highlights of KKR’s dominance in this rivalry are:

• Sunil Narine taking 4/20 to blow away Punjab for just 138 runs while defending 164 in 2017
• Andre Russell blasting 70*(31) to set up a chase of 218 runs in 2018

With all-round superstars like Sunil Narine and Andre Russell in their line-up, KKR is likely to maintain their ascendancy over PBKS.

Conclusion

In summary, 5 teams have dominated Punjab Kings by inflicting heavy defeats on them over the years:

1. Kolkata Knight Riders – 20 wins in 30 matches 
2. Chennai Super Kings – 15 wins in 27 matches
3. Rajasthan Royals – 14 wins in 24 matches 
4. Mumbai Indians – 14 wins in 28 matches
5. Sunrisers Hyderabad – 13 wins in 19 matches

As PBKS aims for a fresh start under new captain Shikhar Dhawan, their main challenge will be overcoming these powerhouses that have proven to be their nemesis historically.

It remains to be seen if the likes of **Sam Curran, Jonny Bairstow** and **Kagiso Rabada** can transform PBKS’s fortunes and end the agonizing wait for their first IPL title since the inaugural season in 2008! Let’s hope we can witness history when the 16th edition starts rolling from April 2023.