IPL 2023: Yuzvendra Chahal Scripts History; Becomes First Indian to Achieve This Big Feat

IPL 2023: Rajasthan Royals locked horns with Punjab Kings on Wednesday in the 11th game of the 16th edition of the Indian Premier League at the Barsapara Cricket Stadium, Guwahati. That game ended with a nail-biting finish, and it was PBKS that held their nerves. Punjab pulled a 5-run victory to register their second straight win in the competition. Meanwhile, RR had some hiccups in their batting, and they fell short of the target by 5 runs.

It was a high-scoring game, with both teams scoring nearly 200 runs. After winning the toss, Sanju Samson put Punjab in to bat first. Both PBKS openers added 90 runs for the first wicket in 9.4 overs. Prabhsimran Singh played a good innings of 34-ball 60, including three sixes and seven sixes. PBKS skipper Shikhar Dhawan played a captain’s knock and carried his bat through with an unbeaten half-century. He made 86 not out from 56 balls, nine fours, and three sixes.

IPL 2023: Yuzvendra Chahal becomes the first Indian bowler to achieve this huge feat

Punjab made 197/4 in their first inning. Jason Holder picked up two wickets, while Yuzvendra Chahal and Ravi Ashwin took one wicket each. Chahal, who won the “Purple Cap” in 2022, achieved a big feat with this lone wicket against PBKS. He dismissed the dangerous Jitesh Sharma, who scored 27 off 16 with two fours and one six. With that wicket, he went past IPL legend Lasith Malinga to become the second-highest wicket-taker in the history of the IPL.

Malinga had 170 wickets in 122 games, while Chahal has 171 in 133 games now. The Indian leg-spinner is also the only Indian bowler to take 170 or more wickets in the league. Dwayne Bravo is at the top with 183 wickets in 161 games. If Chahal performs well in the 16th edition, he can definitely cross Bravo’s tally as well.

It wasn’t a good game for Chahal, as he gave away 50 runs in his four overs. Speaking of the game, RR also reached close to the target. Samson was the top-scorer for his team, who made 42 off 25, with five fours and one six. Shimron Hetmyer (36 off 18) and Dhruv Jurel (32* off 15) also played good cameos in the end, but RR reached 192/7 in their chase.