When Delhi Capitals (DC) posted 264/2 in their 20 overs, some fans would’ve thought why are they having the formality to bowl? KL Rahul’s masterclass in the first innings was something otherworldly. It was tremendous, something that would’ve satiated the tummies of lustful run-lovers. But then came the Punjab Kings (PBKS), doing something that nobody dared to imagine. Because what followed wasn’t just a chase. It was a statement. A madness. A night where 260-plus wasn’t safe and Shreyas Iyer’s team chased it down with seven balls to spare.
It wasn’t supposed to be a contest anymore when Delhi Capitals (DC) scored 264 runs and lost two wickets. It was supposed to be one of those days when the team that is chasing swings hard for a while, entertains the crowd, and then quietly fades away. KL Rahul had already done enough to end the game. With a 152* off 67 balls and a 220-run stand with Nitish Rana (91 off 44), this was ‘too big, too soon’.
However, if Punjab’s fielding and bowling were poor, Delhi’s was even worse.
Highest succesful chase in IPL history
| Team | Score | Overs | RPO | Opposition | Ground | Date |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Punjab Kings | 265/4 | 18.5 | 14.24 | vs DC | Delhi | Apr 25, 2026 |
| Punjab Kings | 262/2 | 18.4 | 14.03 | vs KKR | Eden Gardens | Apr 26, 2024 |
| SRH | 247/2 | 18.3 | 13.35 | vs Punjab Kings | Hyderabad | Apr 12, 2025 |
| RCB | 230/4 | 18.4 | 12.32 | vs LSG | Lucknow | May 27, 2025 |
| RR | 226/6 | 19.3 | 11.58 | vs Kings XI | Sharjah | Sep 27, 2020 |
| RR | 224/8 | 20.0 | 11.20 | vs KKR | Eden Gardens | Apr 16, 2024 |
PBKS break their own record in chase that didn’t make sense
This isn’t something new for Punjab Kings. They’ve lived here before. Eden Gardens, 2024 when they chased 262. That came on April 25, 2024. Now, on April 25, towards the more west of the country, they have upped their tally. If the Eden Gardens one was outstanding, this was an aberration.
Punjab chased 265 in 18.5 overs. The highest successful chase in IPL history. The highest ever in T20 cricket. And the strangest part they made 260-plus look gettable. Very gettable just after the first six overs. They posted the second-highest powerplay score in IPL history.
The tone was set before Delhi could even settle into the field. Priyansh Arya didn’t suss out conditions, didn’t feel for timing. First ball, six. It was a message more than a shot. And from there, it just didn’t stop. Same was what Prabhsimran did, the underdog for PBKS in this clash.
Mukesh Kumar went for 21 in the second over. Auqib Nabi kept missing lengths. Axar Patel, brought in to control things, disappeared for 20 in one over. By the time the chaos around Lungi Ngidi’s injury paused the game briefly, Punjab were already miles ahead of where any chasing side should be. And then came that sixth over. Six boundaries. All Prabhsimran Singh. No luck, no edges carrying but it just clean, brutal hitting. He brought up his fifty in 18 balls, and Punjab walked into the break at 116/0. A perfect and exactly the start that PBKS needed.
Highest succesful chase in T20 history
| Team | Score | Overs | RPO | Opposition | Ground | Date |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Punjab Kings | 265/4 | 18.5 | 14.07 | vs DC | Delhi | Apr 25, 2026 |
| Punjab Kings | 262/2 | 18.4 | 14.03 | vs KKR | Eden Gardens | Apr 26, 2024 |
| South Africa | 259/4 | 18.5 | 13.75 | vs West Indies | Centurion | Mar 26, 2023 |
| Heat | 258/2 | 19.5 | 13.00 | vs Scorchers | Brisbane | Dec 19, 2025 |
| Middlesex | 254/3 | 19.2 | 13.13 | vs Surrey | The Oval | Jun 22, 2023 |
Shreyas Iyer scripts PBKS’s history
For a short time, Delhi did find a way back. Axar got rid of Arya (43 off 17), and Kuldeep Yadav trapped Prabhsimran (76 off 26), making Punjab 147/3. But the kind of start that they had, it allowed someone like Nehal Wadhera to take his time and make 25 off 15.
Shreyas Iyer didn’t go chasing the game. He let it come back to him. Took a couple of overs to reset, then picked his moments. Nehal Wadhera gave him support, but it was Iyer who controlled the finish. Delhi had their chances too. Two, in fact. Both of Shreyas. Both put down by Karun Nair. And in a chase like this and in this era, you don’t get a third.
The 16th over ended any remaining resistance. With 5 overs remaining, PBKS needed 63 runs. In this day and age, it was a cakewalk situation for Punjab, who still had Marcus Stoinis and Marco Jansen in the pavilion, padded up. But Kuldeep bowled a bad over, or Iyer was just too good against him. He hit three sixes and one four to kill the chase.
In a matter of deliveries, the target went from maybe to certain. Punjab were already on their way home by the time the equation read 23 runs needed in 18 balls. Shreyas scored 71* in 36 balls. It wasn’t the loudest inning of the day, but it was the most important.
