Fine half-centuries from skipper Shreyas Iyer and Prabhsimran Singh and a hat-trick from Yuzvendra Chahal were the highlights as Punjab Kings (PBKS) secured a four-wicket win over Chennai Super Kings (CSK) at Chepauk Stadium on Wednesday. PBKS is now at the second spot in the table with six wins, three losses and a no result, giving them 13 points. CSK is at the bottom, with two wins and eight losses, giving them four points. The official broadcasters of the IPL 2025 said CSK are now the first team to be knocked out of the playoff race.
During the run-chase of 191 runs, PBKS openers Priyansh Arya and Prabhsimran Singh picked up from where they had left off during the previous match, unleashing some serious hitting.
Priyansh found some boundaries against pacers Khaleel Ahmed and Anshul Kambhoj, while Prabhsimran was not very far off either. However, the quick 44-run stand between these two ended with Khaleel getting Priyansh for 23 in 15 balls, with five fours. MS Dhoni took a fine catch behind the stumps. PBKS was 44/1 in 4.4 overs.
Skipper Shreyas Iyer ended the powerplay with a fine boundary against Ravindra Jadeja, beating deep backwards square leg, bringing upthe 50-run mark in six overs, with himself (5*) and Prabhsimran (21*) unbeaten.
Shreyas was slow to settle, while Prabhsimran continued feasting on spinners Noor Ahmed and Jadeja.
Halfway through the innings, PBKS was 88/1, with Shreyas (23*) and Prabhsimran (40*) unbeaten.
Matheesha Pathirana‘s first over leaked 14 runs, bringing up Prabhsimran’s second successive fifty of the tournament and overall third in 31 balls, with five fours and three sixes. PBKS also reached the 100-run mark in 11 overs.
Pathirana gave CSK the breakthrough they needed, getting Prabhsimran for 54 in 36 balls, with five fours and three sixes. PBKS was 116/2 in 13 overs.
Shreyas continued to lead the charge against CSK, bringing up his fourth-fifty of the tournament in 32 balls, with four boundaries and two sixes.
However, Wadhera was removed by Pathirana, thanks to a stunner from Jadeja for just five. PBKS was 136/3 in 14.3 overs.
Iyer upped the attack against Pathirana, looting 20 runs, including two sixes and a four. In the next over, after Shashank Singh smacked Jadeja for a four and a six, he responded by removing him for 23 in 17 balls, with a four and two sixes. PBKS was 180/4 in 17.3 overs.
Pathirana got the last laugh over Iyer, at least in their battle, as he cleaned him up for 72 in just 41 balls, with five fours and four sixes. PBKS was 188/5 in 18.4 overs.
Suryansh Shegde was dismissed in the final over, but PBKS won, finishing 194/6 in 19.4 overs, with Josh Inglis (6*) and Marco Jansen (4*) unbeaten.
Khaleel Ahmed (2/28) and Pathirana (2/45) were top wicket-takers for CSK, but it went in vain.
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 stabilise 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.
Brief Scores: CSK: 190 (Sam Curran 88, Dewald Brevis 32, Yuzvendra Chahal 4/32) lost to PBKS: 194/6 in 19.4 overs (Shreyas Iyer 71, Prabhsimran Singh 54, Khaleel Ahmed 2/28).
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