Punjab Kings triumphed over Chennai Super Kings by four wickets, with Shreyas and Prabhsimran leading the way with scores of 72 and 54 respectively. Khaleel and Pathirana took two wickets each for the losing team, while Chahal, Arshdeep, and Jansen contributed two wickets each for Punjab. In the end, Punjab’s total of 194 for 6 was enough to secure their victory over Chennai’s score of 190.
A stunning performance by Yuzvendra Chahal in the 19th over, which included his second IPL hat-trick, completely changed the course of the game at MA Chidambaram Stadium. This led to a victory for Punjab Kings (PBKS) by four wickets and marked the end of Chennai Super Kings’ (CSK) chances for playoffs.
Prior to the Chahal over, CSK seemed on track to surpassing 200 runs for only the second time in IPL 2025 and achieving this feat at home for the first time. Sam Curran played a significant role, scoring 88 runs off 47 balls. However, the Chahal over proved to be crucial as it led to a collapse with CSK losing five wickets in just seven balls and adding only six runs to their total score.
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PBKS were given a target of 191 to chase, instead of reaching for a higher score around 210. Prabhsimran Singh and Shreyas Iyer’s half-centuries secured complete domination for the team.
Just when it seemed like the game was coming to a close, there was one final turn of events. While trying to make the winning hit, Iyer was bowled with three runs needed from nine balls. PBKS then only managed to score two runs and lost a wicket in their following five legal balls, resulting in a tied score with just three balls remaining. But they ultimately secured victory as Marco Jansen’s inside-edged four ended the match in a fitting manner.
Chahal’s impact was not immediate, but it eventually made a difference.
Despite the presence of two left-handed batters from CSK, PBKS chose to use Chahal sparingly in the first 18 overs of the match, along with their other left-arm orthodox spinner, Harpreet Brar. However, when the spin-averse MS Dhoni stepped onto the crease, captain Iyer opted to hand the ball to Chahal.
Dhoni launched a six on the initial legitimate delivery of the over, but was unfortunately caught out on the very next ball. This was proceeded by Chahal’s dismissal of Deepak Hooda, Anshul Kamboj, and Noor Ahmad in consecutive deliveries to end the over. Hooda sent a wide delivery to backward point, Kamboj was bowled by a swift slider, and Noor attempted to hit a slow legbreak outside off stump but miscued it to long-on, resulting in Chahal’s classic hat-trick.
Amidst these events, Shivam Dube of CSK, known for his impressive spin hitting abilities, found himself stranded at the non-striker’s end. He might have pondered if declining a second run on the first ball faced by Hooda would have been a better decision, thus maintaining his position to face Chahal.
Dube managed to score a fortunate inside-edged four on the first ball of the final over, but unfortunately lost his wicket on the very next delivery. As a result, CSK was dismissed with four balls remaining in their innings.
Curran delivers a solid foundation for CSK’s successful conclusion.
Curran was not a regular player for CSK this season, only appearing in three out of nine games. As he scored his fifty in the 15th over, off just 30 balls, he gestured angrily towards his dugout.
His batting performance at the third position provided CSK with the much-needed spark they had been lacking throughout the season. Despite a mediocre beginning where they lost two wickets by the 3.1 over mark, their luck didn’t change as they faced another setback in the sixth over when Ravindra Jadeja nicked Brar’s delivery after hitting three consecutive boundaries off him.
The continuous momentum can be largely attributed to Curran, as he fearlessly faced the spinners and managed to score a six and two fours in the eighth and ninth overs. Despite PBKS’s attempt to slow down the pace with slower deliveries from Azmatullah Omarzai and Suryansh Shedge, Curran consistently found ways to hit boundaries, particularly impressing with his pull shot placement. Even with Dewald Brevis struggling to find rhythm and the ball not responding as expected, Curran took control of the game alongside his fourth-wicket partner, resulting in a standout stand of 78 runs.
Curran had a defining moment in his innings following Brevis’ dismissal. Iyer opted to give Shedge a third over, instead of taking the risk of bowling Chahal or Brar against the two left-handed batters currently at the crease. Despite Shedge only giving up 14 runs in his first two overs, Curran took advantage of his mistakes and slammed him for two sixes and two fours in a 26-run over. This propelled CSK to a strong death-overs position of 160 for 4 after 16 overs.
Shedge’s obligation to bowl the over could be attributed to PBKS’s loss of Glenn Maxwell, potentially for the remainder of the season due to a broken finger. Despite struggling with his batting in the IPL, Maxwell has made valuable contributions with his offspin – an asset that PBKS would have greatly appreciated against CSK’s left-handed hitters.
Prabhsimran and Iyer took control of PBKS.
With PBKS’s target reduced, Prabhsimran and Priyansh Arya were able to find some breathing room in their opening partnership of 44. They both confidently hit boundaries without feeling the need to attack every single ball. In the fifth over, Iyer joined Prabhsimran on the pitch after a well-executed bouncer from Khaleel took out Arya.
Prabhsimran’s strong performance in the second-wicket partnership was evident through his strategic shot selection, including both powerful hits down the ground and well-timed scoops and paddles behind the wicket. However, a change in pace from Curran during the 12th over resulted in a quieter period for PBKS, with only five runs scored and the required runs increasing to 84 off 48 balls.
This led Prabhsimran to take a risk and face Noor in the 13th over, resulting in a missed catch by Matheesha Pathirana at short third. However, it ultimately resulted in a wicket when Prabhsimran was caught by Brevis at deep midwicket.
At that particular moment, Iyer took over the baton from Prabhsimran and quickly shifted into high gear. Going from 28 off 23 to 50 off 32, he managed to clear the boundary twice.
That was just a teaser, as he proceeded to hit three consecutive boundaries off Pathirana’s bowling in the 17th over. All were missed yorkers, with only one being a slight deviation from his desired length. Iyer confidently sent that well-placed ball soaring for six down the ground.
The subsequent delivery was similar, close to the blockhole, but he skillfully evaded it with a quick adjustment of his front leg. He then utilized a wristy flick to hit it over wide long-on. Pathirana’s next ball was aimed at the blockhole, but just outside off, forcing Iyer to use the edge of his bat and guide it between backward point and short third.
With Shashank Singh also rediscovering his ability to hit sixes on the other side, PBKS was now cruising. Despite this, there was still potential for some anxiousness.
