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Chahal gets into his groove and starts playing the game in his usual way
Chahal gets into his groove and starts playing the game in his usual way
IPL 2025: Yuzvendra Chahal took four wickets and gave away just 28 runs as PBKS bowled out KKR for 95 after making just 111 runs. PBKS seal record-breaking 16-run victory.
Yuzvendra Chahal was having a tough time. He had been bought for INR 18 crore in the IPL 2025 auction, but in his first five games for Punjab Kings (PBKS), he didn't finish his full bowling quota in three of them. In one of those matches, he hurt his shoulder but managed to recover for the game against Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR). Unfortunately, his team didn't get him involved in that match, and it looked like the same might happen again in Mullanpur on Tuesday.
KKR had easily bowled out the hosts for 111 runs and were in charge of their chase in the seventh over. They needed 52 runs from 13 overs with eight wickets remaining when Chahal came into bowl.
The pitch wasn't particularly difficult. Sunil Narine and Varun Chakravarthy both took two wickets in the first innings, but they were getting turn like mystery spinners do, using quicker speeds and shorter lengths while still targeting the stumps.
Chahal had a different style; he relied on classic legspin, trying to confuse batters in the air and off the pitch. This method hadn't worked for him previously in the tournament, but this time it did. He began his bowling with a legbreak to Ajinkya Rahane that turned a bit, signaling to him and captain Shreyas Iyer that they were still in the game.
"Shreyas said we needed a slip fielder because we couldn't afford to miss any chances - there was no point in bringing in a slip after a ball went for four runs through that area," Chahal shared after the match. "We had to be aggressive, since we had limited runs to defend, and we knew that our only chance of winning was by taking wickets."
Yuzvendra Chahal played a crucial role in Punjab Kings' bowling performance. His first wicket—Ajinkya Rahane—came from a googly that trapped him lbw, though KKR missed the chance to review it.
Instead of trying to bowl unplayable deliveries, Chahal focused on making batters create their own pace when playing shots. Many wickets fell because batters attempted risky strokes rather than due to exceptional deliveries.
Angkrish Raghuvanshi, looking well set at 37 runs, tried to go over cover but misjudged the ball’s dip and placement, leading to his dismissal. Chahal’s strategy of varying pace meant that KKR’s batters had to work hard to hit boundaries.
Chahal adjusted his bowling approach compared to previous matches where he struggled early. This time, he took two wickets within seven balls, putting pressure on KKR. Against Rinku Singh, he mixed attack with defence, cleverly altering his pace so Rinku couldn't settle.
Later, Chahal tricked Rinku into stepping forward, causing him to misjudge the ball and get stumped. He then picked up another wicket when Ramandeep Singh misplayed a paddle sweep. Though Andre Russell resisted, Chahal had already set up PBKS for victory.
Ricky Ponting praised Chahal’s impact, saying that PBKS needed belief in their bowling, and Chahal delivered that in his first standout performance for the team.
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