Rajasthan Royals player Yuzvendra Chahal gestures during the IPL 2023 cricket match between Rajasthan Royals and Sunrisers Hyderabad at Rajiv Gandhi International Cricket Stadium in Hyderabad on April 2, 2023. , Photo Credit: PTI
Indian spinner Yuzvendra Chahal completed 300 wickets in T20 cricket on Sunday. He achieved the feat during his team’s Rajasthan Royals (RR) match against Sunrisers Hyderabad in Hyderabad.
In the match, he demolished the SRH batting line-up, taking 4/17 from his four overs. He took important wickets of Mayank Agarwal, Harry Brook, Adil Rashid and skipper Bhuvneshwar Kumar. Now he has taken 303 wickets in 265 matches at an average of 23.60 and an economy rate of 7.58. His best bowling figures in the format are 6/25. Of these, 121 wickets have come in 72 matches in T20I cricket for India at an average of 27.13 and an economy rate of 5.26. His best bowling figures for India in the shorter format are 6/42. He is also the third highest wicket-taker in the history of the Indian Premier League (IPL).
He has taken 170 wickets in 132 matches at an average of 21.41 and an economy rate of 21.41. His best bowling figures in IPL are 5/40. He has represented Rajasthan Royals, Royal Challengers Bangalore and Mumbai Indians in the league. The rest of his wickets have come in the Indian domestic cricket scene.
Coming into the match, RR scored 203/5 in their 20 overs after being put into bat by SRH. Openers Jos Buttler (54 off 22 balls) and Yashasvi Jaiswal (54 off 37 balls) gave the team an explosive start scoring 85 runs in just 35 balls. Captain Sanju Samson scored the highest 55 runs in 32 balls with the help of three fours and four sixes. A cameo from Shimron Hetmyer (22* in 16 balls) helped RR get past the 200-run mark.
Natarajan was the pick of the bowlers for SRH with 2/23. Fazalhaq Farooqui also took 2/41 from his four overs. Umran Malik also got a wicket. In the chase of 204, SRH never really looked like a threat. Debutant Harry Brook (13) failed in his first IPL innings. Abdul Samad, an impressive player, scored 32 off 32 balls. Mayank Agarwal also scored 27 off 23 balls but SRH could only manage 131/8 in their 20 overs.
They lost the match by 72 runs. Chahal was one of the pick of the bowlers for RR, taking 4/17 from his four overs. Trent Boult also took 2/21 from his four overs. Holder and Ashwin also got one wicket each. Butler received the ‘Player of the Match’ award for his innings.
Brief scores: RR: 203/5 (Sanju Samson 55, Jos Buttler 54, T Natarajan 2/23) beat SRH: 131/8 (Abdul Samad 32, Mayank Agarwal 27, Yuzvendra Chahal 4/17).