Yuzvendra Chahal, the Punjab Kings (PBKS) spinner, became only the third bowler in IPL history to take multiple hat-tricks in the tournament. He achieved this feat with his second hat-trick in IPL, which came against Chennai Super Kings in Chennai, on April 30.

After conceding 23 runs in his opening two overs, the leg-spinner returned to produce a game-changing last over. He first dismissed MS Dhoni (11) before taking the wickets of Deepak Hooda (2), Anshul Kamboj (0), and Noor Ahmad (0), dramatically completing his second IPL hat-trick.

"I knew Mahi bhai (MS Dhoni) was there, so was (Shivam) Dube. But I had a feeling that I would get a wicket in this over. I didn't think much whether they would hit me for six, I just planned to bowl my best and keep changing my lines,” Chahal said in a post-match interaction with skipper Shreyas Iyer, in a video posted on the IPL website.

Chahal finished with 4/32 as CSK were bowled out for 190 in 19.2 overs, resulting in a four-wicket loss to Punjab Kings, ending the five-time winners' playoff ambitions.

When asked about the turnaround in his second period after being taken for runs early on, Chahal claimed he psychologically prepared for the death overs.

“I knew after the pacers finish their quotas, I would bowl the 19th or 20th over, so I was preparing accordingly. I saw the slower deliveries from the pacers were gripping (fas raha tha) slightly and not coming on to the bat,” he added.

Asked if he had a specific plan for the hat-trick ball, he said: "I didn't think of getting him out, I knew he would try to hit me and I thought it's okay if he goes after me."

The 34-year-old, who last appeared in a T20I for India in August 2023, has been an outstanding performer this season. He had previously taken 4/28 against the Kolkata Knight Riders, a period that saw KKR collapse to 95 all out while chasing a modest 112.

Chasing 191, Punjab Kings won with two balls remaining owing to skipper Iyer's dominating 41-ball 72. He and Prabhsimran Singh shared a critical 72-run second-wicket stand, the latter scoring his second half-century in a row.

“I was just in the zone, locked in and let the instincts take over. Trying to enjoy the challenge which was offered to me,” Iyer told Chahal in the interaction.

On Prabhsimran's recent form, he added: “Prabh is a batter who doesn't think much, you don't say do this or do that. If you see his pattern in the last 2-3 games, he's grinding himself out a bit, takes his time, his shot selection has improved greatly. So you're confident from the front and we're able to rotate the strike brilliantly.”

(PTI inputs)