The Shreyas Iyer-led Punjab Kings are set to face Royal Challengers Bangalore in the high-stakes Qualifier-1 of IPL 2025 on May 29.
With a direct entry to the final on the line, all eyes will be on key players - and one name stands out: Yuzvendra Chahal.
Chahal's big opportunity to make history
Yuzvendra Chahal, who missed the last two league matches due to a finger injury, is likely to return for this mega encounter. His comeback could boost Punjab's chances significantly, both with his match-winning ability and the record he's on the cusp of breaking.
Despite an underwhelming season, PBKS may still back Yuzvendra Chahal for the Qualifier, given his solid record against former team RCB - 9 wickets in 9 matches at an economy of 7.77.
If Chahal manages to take three wickets against RCB, he will become the highest wicket-taker in T20 matches played in India. Currently, that record is held by Piyush Chawla with 289 wickets. Chahal, who has 287 wickets from 254 T20 matches in India, is just three wickets away from surpassing him.
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Punjab's key weapon in a Do-or-Die clash
Yuzvendra Chahal has long been regarded as one of India's finest T20 bowlers, known for his sharp game awareness and ability to pick up wickets under pressure.
His return adds both depth and experience to Punjab's bowling unit. With the stakes higher than ever, fans are counting on Chahal to deliver - and potentially walk away with a piece of cricketing history.
Tonight is Punjab Kings' chance to reach their maiden IPL final and also witness Chahal rewrite the record books in the process.
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Probable Playing XI of PBKS against RCB in Qualifier 1: Prabhsimran Singh, Priyansh Arya, Josh Inglis, Shreyas Iyer (captain), Nehal Wadhera, Shashank Singh, Marcus Stoinis, Azmatullah Omarzai, Yuzvendra Chahal, Arshdeep Singh, Kyle Jamieson.