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Punjab Kings’ (PBKS) leg-spinner Yuzvendra Chahal hopes Mumbai Indians (MI) opener Rohit Sharma scores a double century against Rajasthan Royals (RR) on May 24 so that his team can qualify for the playoffs. Chahal is banking on MI beating RR as PBKS’ playoffs berth hopes hinge on the fixture at Wankhede Stadium, Mumbai.
“We will be in Lucknow only. Hopefully, RR lose tomorrow and Rohit Sharma scores 200 directly, it’s been a long time," Chahal said jokingly on JioStar.
Chahal wants MI new-ball bowlers to dismiss an in-form Vaibhav Sooryavanshi cheaply so that the hosts have a high chance of winning the clash. But even MI’s win over RR will not guarantee a playoffs spot for PBKS. Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) will still have an outside chance in their match against Delhi Capitals (DC) at Eden Gardens. However, their chances were very slim considering the margin of win needed to make it to playoffs with a better net run rate (NRR) than PBKS.
“But on a serious note, I think our chances depend more on the day game because KKR might have to chase down a total in 11-12 overs, which can be a bit difficult. It’s Wankhede, a small ground, so if they get Vaibhav out cheaply, I think Mumbai Indians’ chances of winning will be high," the spinner stated.
Chahal also opened up about PBKS’ six-match losing streak. He revealed that there were no negative thoughts in the team despite what was happening outside. He termed the seven-wicket win over a depleted Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) as special.
“When you win six of your first seven matches and then go on to lose the next six, after a point, there’s nothing left to say. How you keep the team together and the environment close-knit becomes key. So, there were never any negative thoughts. Even during practice, the focus was on ourselves and how we could get those two points because it had been almost a month since we last won a game. So, this win feels special," Chahal said.
Chahal shines in Lucknow
On May 23, Chahal bowled an economical spell, conceding just 25 runs from his quota of four overs. He got the wicket of a free-flowing Ayush Badoni and skipper Rishabh Pant. He defied match-ups by getting the wicket of Pant with a googly.
Chahal’s wickets tally
Despite not bowling his full quota of four overs a few times, Chahal is PBKS' second-highest wicket-taker in the ongoing season. The leggie has 12 wickets at an average of 32.08. The all-time highest wicket-taker in IPL history has economy rate is 9.39 runs per over.
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