Chandigarh, April 16 -- The Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR), defending champions of the Indian Premier League (IPL), suffered a narrow 16-run loss in a low-scoring thriller against Punjab Kings, here at the Maharaja Yadavindra Singh International Cricket Stadium on Tuesday. Harshit Rana's three-fer, alongside braces from Sunil Narine and Varun Chakaravarthy, went in vain as the hosts defending the target in an engaging contest.

Reflecting on the match, KKR captain Ajinkya Rahane said in the post-match press conference as quoted by KKR press release, "The wicket was a good one, even though the ball was stopping a bit. Our bowlers bundled them out for 111 and did half the job. Chasing 112 on this wicket was comparatively easy, especially after...