CHENNAI: Chennai Super Kings’ (CSK) hopes of breaching the 200-run mark were dashed by a sensational spell from Punjab Kings (PBKS) bowler Yuzvendra Chahal, who claimed his second Indian Premier League (IPL) hat-trick to help restrict the home team to 190 in 19.2 overs.
Despite a career-best 88 off 47 balls from Sam Curran against his former side, CSK faced a dramatic collapse in the death overs.
Opting to bat first, CSK’s innings had a shaky beginning as the young opening duo of Shaik Rasheed and Ayush Mhatre struggled to get going.
Rasheed was the first to depart, managing just 11 off 12 balls before being removed by Arshdeep Singh with the score at 21. Mhatre followed immediately in the next over, falling to Marco Jansen for just 7, leaving the hosts at 22/2.
Ravindra Jadeja tried to stabilize the innings with a quick 17 off 12 deliveries but was dismissed by Harpreet Brar, making it 48/3. It was then that Dewald Brevis joined Curran in the middle, and the duo stitched together a much-needed 78-run partnership to resurrect the innings.
Brevis played a composed hand of 32 before being cleaned up by Azmatullah Omarzai. Curran, who had been the basher of the innings, continued to take the attack to the bowlers. His blistering knock included nine boundaries and four sixes, helping CSK recover from early setbacks. However, he was eventually dismissed by Jansen with the score reading 172/5.
CSK skipper MS Dhoni played a short but impactful cameo, scoring 11 off just 4 balls, including a boundary and a towering six, before falling to Chahal. That was the game-changing moment. Chahal, in a brilliant display of wrist spin, ran through the lower order with a stunning hat-trick—removing Deepak Hooda, Anshul Kamboj, and Noor Ahmad in successive deliveries. His final figures of 4/32 in three overs underlined his impact.
Arshdeep returned to dismiss Shivam Dube for 6, and CSK were bowled out for 190 in 19.2 overs–falling short of a potential 200-plus total.
In addition to Chahal’s heroics, Arshdeep and Jansen picked up two wickets each, while Omarzai and Brar chipped in with one apiece.
Punjab Kings now need 191 runs to register their sixth win of the season. With momentum on their side after Chahal’s magical spell, the visitors will fancy their chances at Chepauk. (ANI)
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