Former India cricketer Mohammad Kaif was left surprised by how Yuzvendra Chahal was used during the Punjab Kings (PBKS) versus Gujarat Titans (GT) clash in the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2026.
Notably, Shubman Gill-led GT defeated the Punjab-based franchise by four wickets in their last outing, where Chahal bowled just one over in the entire game, giving away 13 runs at Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad.
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Mohammad Kaif on Yuzvendra Chahal
Sharing his thoughts on X, Kaif questioned this decision. He pointed out that Chahal is one of the most successful bowlers in IPL history, with 228 wickets to his name. A large chunk of those wickets came during his time with Royal Challengers Bengaluru, especially at the flat Chinnaswamy wicket.
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It surprises me to see a highest wicket taker of ipl history Yuzi Chahal bowl just one over against GT. Remember he has 228 ipl wickets in which 139 have come on the flat Chinnaswamy during his 8 years with RCB. Ok, the pitch had grass but Chahal is an IPL great he could have…
— Mohammad Kaif (@MohammadKaif) May 3, 2026
"It surprises me to see a highest wicket taker of ipl history Yuzi Chahal bowl just one over against GT. Remember he has 228 ipl wickets in which 139 have come on the flat Chinnaswamy during his 8 years with RCB. Ok, the pitch had grass but Chahal is an IPL great he could have found ways to get wickets. Punjab needs to trust him more" wrote Kaif.
Kaif felt that even though the pitch had some grass, a bowler like Chahal should have been trusted more. According to him, experienced players like Chahal know how to adjust to different conditions and can still find ways to take wickets.
GT vs PBKS clash
Coming back to the match, the Gujarat Titans pulled off a thrilling win in the final over in Ahmedabad. All-rounder Jason Holder played a crucial role with the ball, taking four wickets.
PBKS had posted 163/9 after a poor start. Suryansh Shedge scored 57 while Marcus Stoinis added 40, helping the team recover with a 79-run partnership. However, Holder’s spell of 4/24 kept the total within reach.
While chasing, GT chased down the total in 19.5 overs. Sai Sudharsan scored a steady 57, while Washington Sundar stayed unbeaten on 40 and finished the game with a six.
With this win, Gujarat Titans moved up to sixth place with 12 points. Punjab Kings are still at the top of the table with 13 points.
Holder was named Player of the Match for his excellent bowling. He dismissed key players including Shreyas Iyer, Nehal Wadhera, Marcus Stoinis and Xavier Bartlett.