Yuzvendra Chahal becomes joint-highest wicket-taker in IPL history
Rajasthan Royals (RR) ace spinner Yuzvendra Chahal joined former Chennai Super Kings (CSK) all-rounder Dwayne Bravo for the most wickets in Indian Premier League (IPL) history.
Chahal achieved the milestone with his spell of 4/29 in four overs in RR's last-ball defeat to the SunRisers Hyderabad (SRH) in Jaipur on Sunday, May 7.
His tally of 183 wickets came in 142 matches at an average of 21.61 and an economy rate of 7.65, while Bravo took 161 games to reach the mark.
The top five wicket-takers in IPL history consist of four Indian spinners, with the other three being Amit Mishra, Piyush Chawla, and Ravichandran Ashwin.
Chahal's journey in the IPL started with the Mumbai Indians (MI) in 2011, but it was only in 2014 that he became a household name after joining the Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB).
Since 2014, the leg-spinner has been one of the most consistent performers, with more than 20 wickets in four seasons, including winning the Purple Cap in 2022.
The 32-year-old moved from RCB to RR in the mega auction ahead of the 2022 season and has continued his impressive run. He was instrumental in the franchise qualifying for their first finals since the inaugural season last year.
Yuzvendra Chahal has picked up 17 wickets in 11 matches so far this season, at an average of 19.41 and an economy rate of 8.08 runs per over.
"We will storm back together" - Yuzvendra Chahal after RR's devastating loss to SRH
Despite Yuzvendra Chahal's incredible spell of 4/29 in four overs, the Rajasthan Royals failed to defend 214, resulting in a last-ball defeat to the SunRisers.
The result put the Royals in a precarious position on the points table with five wins and six losses after 11 games. They are still in fourth place with a fighting chance to qualify for the playoffs despite being on a downward slide, losing three straight and five of the last six games.
Speaking to reporters after the game, Chahal remained upbeat about the team's chances of qualifying for the playoffs despite the heartbreaking defeat. He said:
"It will take time, but still, three matches are there, and if we win our remaining three games, we are still in the hunt for play-offs. It is part of the game. We will storm back together. The sooner we will forget this match the better it will be for us.”
He also spoke about his sensational spell by adding:
"I was just backing myself and my strength. I was focusing more on my length and don’t want to bowl it too fuller."
In a game where both teams breached the 200-run mark, the wily leg spinner conceded just 29 runs and picked up the two crucial wickets of set-batter Rahul Tripathi and skipper Aiden Markram in the 18th over to strengthen RR's position.
However, late-game heroics from Glenn Phillips and Abdul Samad ensured that SRH overhauled the target with four wickets in hand off the final ball of the contest.
RR will next take on the Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) in a virtual must-win game at Eden Gardens in Kolkata on Thursday, May 11.