Shreyas Iyer enjoys enjoying on the M.A. Chidambaram Stadium. The final time he captained an IPL facet right here, he lifted the trophy. On Wednesday, he returned to seal one other essential outcome — this time guaranteeing Punjab Kings stayed firmly within the race for the IPL 2025 playoffs. The defeat additionally formally knocked Chennai Tremendous Kings out of rivalry for a top-four spot.
Iyer scored a match-winning 72 off 41 balls and guided his crew residence in a 191-run chase with two balls to spare.
He got here to the crease after Punjab had already posted 44 within the first 28 balls, thanks to a different explosive begin by the opening duo of Priyansh Arya and Prabhsimran Singh. Arya cracked 5 boundaries in his 23 earlier than edging one behind off Khaleel Ahmed whereas trying one other.
Prabhsimran continued his wealthy vein of type with proactive strokeplay — stepping down the pitch, sweeping confidently, and conserving the scoreboard ticking. He added 72 runs along with his captain to arrange the chase earlier than falling within the thirteenth over.
Because it occurred |CSK vs PBKS Highlights
The gradual, black-soil floor didn’t permit without spending a dime hitting, however Iyer made certain the CSK bowlers couldn’t dictate phrases. He rotated strike neatly and attacked each spin and Sam Curran’s slower cutters. He additionally took on Matheesha Pathirana, hammering two sixes off him to gather 20 runs within the seventeenth over.
A 12-ball 23-run cameo from Shashank Singh ensured Punjab wanted simply two off the ultimate over. Regardless of two late wickets, the Kings crossed the end line comfortably.
Earlier, Curran and Dewald Brevis introduced the sort of aggression and intent CSK had lacked by the season. Curran, specifically, had an evening to recollect, smashing 88 off 47 balls.
The pair added 78 for the fourth wicket after Chennai had misplaced three batters by the top of the PowerPlay. They focused Yuzvendra Chahal and Harpreet Brar’s spin, forcing Iyer to revert to tempo.
However the pacers missed their lengths, usually going quick, which allowed the batters to remain again and hit by the road. One such lapse value Punjab 26 runs within the sixteenth over, with Curran smashing Suryansh Shedge for 2 sixes and two fours.
Simply when it appeared CSK would breach the 200-mark, Iyer introduced again Chahal for the nineteenth over. MS Dhoni launched the primary ball for six however fell on the subsequent, caught at long-off. One ball later, Deepak Hooda miscued a shot to level. Anshul Kamboj and Noor Ahmad fell on the ultimate two deliveries as Chahal sealed his second IPL hat-trick in spectacular trend.
Tremendous Kings collapsed from 172 for 4 to 190 all out — shedding six wickets within the house of 11 deliveries. That slide finally proved decisive.