During a high-octane Indian Premier League (IPL) 2024 clash at Eden Gardens, Yuzvendra Chahal, the leg-spinner for Rajasthan Royals (RR), endured his most expensive spell in IPL history, marking a challenging day for him and his team against Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR).
Chahal, who was on the brink of his 200th IPL wicket, ended the match with figures that he would prefer to forget. He conceded 54 runs in his allotted four overs, capturing only one wicket. This spell surpassed his previous most costly figures of 1/51 against Mumbai Indians in 2015.
Rajasthan’s bowling arsenal struggled throughout the game, with Ravichandran Ashwin also turning in a pricey performance, his second most expensive in the IPL, leaking 49 runs without taking any wickets. His most expensive figures remain 0/53 against Sunrisers Hyderabad in 2018.
The list of expensive spells for RR also includes performances like Shane Warne’s 1/50 against Punjab Kings and Chahal’s own 1/50 in a previous match against the same team.
Chahal, a pivotal figure in RR’s lineup, has been a leading wicket-taker in the IPL with a total of 199 wickets from 152 matches, boasting an economy rate of 7.71 and a personal best of 5/40 in an innings.
Despite the setback, Chahal’s milestone of 200 IPL wickets is imminent, and he remains a crucial player for Rajasthan Royals as they navigate through the ongoing season of the IPL.
