Guwahati: Afghanistan spinner Noor Ahmad returned with the figures of 2-28 in his four overs against Rajasthan Royals to reclaim the Purple Cap for clinching the most wickets in the IPL 2025 season so far.
Before the encounter, Noor was sitting at seven wickets in two games but Mitchell Starc’s maiden T20 fifer in the first match of Sunday between Delhi Capitals and Sunrisers Hyderabad briefly snatched the Purple Cap from the former. However, the 20-year-old was quick to get it back with his economical performance against Rajasthan in Guwahati, hours after Starc’s heroics in Visakhapatnam.
Noor is having a season to remember so far as he bagged four and three wickets respectively in the first two matches of the season.
“Feel happy to get it back, always feels special, hope I keep it at the end of the tournament,” Noor said during the mid-innings break.
Despite Nitish Rana’s 36-ball 81, CSK bowlers made a comeback to restrict Rajasthan to 182/9 in 20 overs. Khaleel Ahmed and Matheesha Pathirana also bagged two scalps each as Rajasthan lost their last five wickets in a span of just 30 balls.
Noor, who clinched crucial wickets of Sanju Samson and Dhruv Jurel, revealed his bowling plan and said, “I tried both, wrong-un was going good on the surface, I got some grip and turn so that’s why I wanted to bowl the wrong-un. It feels good to contribute to my team, I always want to contribute to my team whether that’s fielding or bowling – any department, I just want to contribute.”
“It’s (the pitch) different, I knew that any full delivery will go for four or six so I kept my length a little back. Hopefully, we need a good start and we can adjust in the middle,” he added.
Chennai are coming after facing a 50-run defeat against Royal Challengers Bengaluru at Chepauk on Friday while Rajasthan, on the other hand, are winless in their IPL 2025 campaign so far.
(IANS)
