Jonny Bairstow’s Unbeaten Century Leads Punjab Kings to Record T20 Run Chase Victory

In a historic match that will be remembered for years to come, Jonny Bairstow led Punjab Kings to the highest successful run chase in T20 history with an unbeaten century against the Kolkata Knight Riders. The match was a high-scoring affair from the start, with Phil Salt and Sunil Narine putting on a 138-run opening stand for the Knight Riders, who posted a formidable total of 261-6.

Punjab made a strong start to their chase, with Prabhsimran Singh contributing 54 runs before being run out. But it was Bairstow who stole the show with a breathtaking innings that included eight fours and nine sixes. His partnership with Shashank Singh, who scored 68 from just 28 deliveries, helped Punjab reach the target with eight balls to spare.

Bairstow’s century was a timely reminder of his abilities ahead of the T20 World Cup, and he was rightfully named player of the match for his outstanding performance. Speaking after the match, Bairstow credited the team’s aggressive approach for the successful chase, stating, “We knew that we had to go ballistic after how they batted. We had to take risks and thankfully they came off.”

The victory sees Punjab Kings move up to eighth place on net run rate in the IPL standings, while the previous record chase in T20 history was South Africa’s chase of 259 against West Indies. Fans can continue to enjoy the action of the Indian Premier League live on Sky Sports, with upcoming matches including Delhi Capitals vs Mumbai Indians and Lucknow Super Giants vs Rajasthan Royals.