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Punjab Kings` (PBKS) spinner Yuzvendra Chahal once again proved why he remains one of the most successful bowlers in the history of the Indian Premier League.In the IPL 2025 match against Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR), while defending a score of 111 runs, Chahal claimed four wickets, which in return helped PBKS clinch a 16-run victory.The 34-year-old spinner said that he always had self-belief, which helped him taste success.
Speaking about the victory, the star spinner told ESPNcricinfo, "I always had self-belief in myself. I always think about how to get the batters out. I varied my pace so that the batters had to put effort into hitting".
"I think it was a team effort. We wanted to stay positive, take 2-3 wickets in the powerplay. The pitch wasn`t easy.
There was a turn in the pitch as well".Also Read: IPL 2025: Win over KKR could be season-defining for Punjab Kings, says Ricky Ponting"My first ball turned, so Shreyas [Iyer] said, Let`s have a slip. We needed to take wickets to win this game because the runs were low," he added.
Yuzvendra Chahal`s spell not only helped his side seal the victory but also showcased the skill set of the veteran spinner, where there was no room to make mistakes. His clever changes in pace and angles kept the batters guessing on a pitch that offered assistance to spinners throughout.Coming to the match, PBKS won the toss and opted to bat first.
Priyansh Arya (22 in 12 balls, with three fours and a six) and Prabhsimran Singh (30 in 15 balls, with two fours and three sixes) delivered a fiery start to PBKS with a 39-run stand. However, a powerplay spell by Harshit Rana (3/25) and some fantastic fielding from Ramandeep Singh pushed them to 54/4 at the end of the powerplay. Narine (2/14) and Varun Chakravarthy (2/21) dominated the later stages of the innings, not letting PBKS batters settle, bundling them out for 111 in 15.
3 overs.During the run-chase, PBKS bowlers put up a brilliant fight, with spinner Yuzvendra Chahal (4/28) and Marco Jansen (3/17) delivering spells that turned the match on its head. Despite fighting knocks by Angkrish Raghuvanshi (37 in 28 balls, with five fours and a six) and Andre Russell (17 in 11 balls, with four and two sixes), KKR was bundled out for 95 in 15.
1 overs, losing the match by 16 runs.Punjab Kings will now clash against Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) in their next IPL 2025 fixture on April 18. Currently, they are in the fourth spot, with four wins and two losses, with eight points.
KKR is in the sixth spot, with three wins and four losses, giving them six points.(With ANI Inputs).
