IPL 2025: Iyer’s clinical 72 consigns CSK to its fifth consecutive defeat at home

CHENNAI: The in-form top order of Punjab Kings led by skipper Shreyas Iyer thrashed Chennai Super Kings at its den and moved up to second in the points table as it defeated the host by four wickets on Wednesday here at MA Chidambaram Stadium.

Chasing 190, the 72-run partnership of Prabhsimran Singh and Shreyas Iyer helped Punjab to officially eliminate the Super Kings out of the playoff race. Punjab won with two balls to spare.

Earlier, after being put to bat first once again, Sam Curran’s blistering knock of 88 helped CSK to put it’s highest total at home this season with leg-spinner Yuzvendra Chahal instigating a collapse in the end with a hat-trick in the 19th.

The left-hander smashed his highest-ever Indian Premier League score in a pressure situation, anchoring a recovering CSK in the middle phase alongside Dewald Brevis.

CSK openers stumbled early with both perishing within the powerplay. The uncapped duo of Shaik Rasheed and Ayush Mhatre struggled to handle the swing and bounce generated by Arshdeep Singh and Marco Jansen in the opening overs.

However, after eight deliveries, Rasheed managed to get his first boundary by hitting straight back over the head of Arshdeep.

But he tried to overplay his hand as he tried to go for a big shot the very next ball after hitting two boundaries and completely missed a wobble seam delivery which went straight to Shashank Singh at extra covers. It rather seemed like a forced approach for him at the start of his innings compared to his natural game of playing authentic shots.

Mhatre followed soon after, falling to Jansen in the next over, handing Punjab the initiative.

However, Ravindra Jadeja’s cameo injected brief momentum in the powerplay as he took on Harpreet Brar, but his tendency to go after spin proved costly again — nicking behind on a tight line for his fifth dismissal against spin this season. That’s when Curran stepped in. With Brevis for company, Curran stitched together a much-needed partnership.

The English all-rounder mixed composure with clean striking, reaching his half-century in just 30 balls. Brevis added flair from the other end including a no-look ramp off Jansen, as the pair added 78 for the fourth wicket.

Once Brevis departed post the second timeout, Curran exploded. He plundered 26 runs off Suryansh Shedge, including back-to-back sixes sending the Chepauk crowd berserk.

But as the Super Kings looked poised for a final flourish, Chahal had other plans.

After getting hit for a six by MS Dhoni in the first ball of the crucial 19th over, the veteran spinner dismissed him in the very next ball and a ball later he went on to scalp the wickets of Deepak Hooda, Anshul Kamboj and Noor Ahmad to get his second IPL hat-trick.

BRIEF SCORES: CSK 190 all out in 19.2 overs (Sam Curran 88, Dewald Brevis 32, Yuzvendra Chahal 4/32) lost to PBKS 194/6 in 19.4 overs (Prabhsimran Singh 54, Shreyas Iyer 72)