|
Former India cricketer Mohammad Kaif expressed surprise over the limited use of leg-spinner Yuzvendra Chahal during Punjab Kings' (PBKS) four-wicket loss to Gujarat Titans in their IPL 2026 clash in Ahmedabad on Sunday night.
Taking to X, Kaif questioned PBKS's decision to bowl Chahal for just one over despite his stature as one of the most successful bowlers in IPL history. The veteran leg-spinner bowled only one over, where he conceded 13 runs. He pointed out that the leg-spinner has 228 wickets in the league, including a significant number picked up during his long stint with Royal Challengers Bengaluru at the Chinnaswamy Stadium. ""It surprises me to see a highest wicket taker of ipl history Yuzi Chahal bowl just one over against GT. Remember he has 228 ipl wickets in which 139 have come on the flat Chinnaswamy during his 8 years with RCB," Kaif wrote. https://x.com/MohammadKaif/status/2051033682341945440?s=20 Kaif acknowledged that the pitch conditions may have influenced the team's strategy, noting the presence of grass on the surface. However, he stressed that a bowler of Chahal's calibre has the ability to adapt and find ways to take wickets even in challenging conditions. "Ok, the pitch had grass but Chahal is an IPL great he could have found ways to get wickets. Punjab needs to trust him more." Coming to the contest, GT defeated table toppers PBKS by four wickets in a last-over thriller at the Narendra Modi Stadium, powered by Jason Holder's four-wicket haul and crucial knocks from Sai Sudharsan and Washington Sundar. PBKS posted 163/9 after recovering from an early collapse through a 79-run stand between Suryansh Shedge (57) and Marcus Stoinis (40), but Holder's 4/24 restricted them. In reply, GT chased down 164 in 19.5 overs despite losing early wickets, with Sudharsan anchoring the innings with 57 and Sundar finishing unbeaten on 40, sealing the win with a six. The victory moved GT to sixth place with 12 points, while PBKS remained on top of the table with 13 points. Holder won the Player of the Match (POTM) award for his match-defining bowling figures of 4/24 in 4 overs. Holder claimed the wickets of PBKS skipper Shreyas Iyer, Nehal Wadhera, Marcus Stoinis and Xavier Bartlett. (ANI)
|
