Afghanistan’s star spinner, Rashid Khan, has shattered the record previously held by India’s ace bowler Jasprit Bumrah, becoming the third-fastest player to claim 150 wickets in the Indian Premier League (IPL).

Rashid achieved this milestone in the opening match of the season while playing for the Gujarat Titans against the Punjab Kings. Despite his team facing a narrow 11-run defeat and Rashid only taking one wicket, he surpassed Bumrah to secure his place among the fastest bowlers to reach 150 wickets in this lucrative tournament.

Rashid’s incredible record now stands at 150 wickets from 122 matches, trailing only behind Yuzvendra Chahal (118) and Lasith Malinga (105). Notably, Rashid reached the 150-wicket mark in two fewer matches than Bumrah, who took 124 games. Beyond merely taking wickets, Rashid’s performance showcases his exceptional bowling skill; only Malinga boasts a better bowling average (19.79 compared to Rashid’s 22.00), and Sunil Narine is the sole player with a superior economy rate (6.73 versus Rashid’s 6.83) in this elite group of wicket-takers.

At just 26 years old, Rashid has flourished in the IPL, effectively utilizing his legbreak googly to outsmart batsmen. However, during the match against the Punjab Kings on a batting-friendly pitch in Ahmedabad, he struggled to maintain his usual economical style. In his four overs, he conceded 48 runs, resulting in an economy rate of 12.00 while grabbing the lone wicket of debutant Priyansh Arya.

The Kings had a commanding start, accumulating runs at a swift pace of over 12 per over after the powerplay. With the Titans needing a break in the momentum, captain Shubman Gill turned to Rashid. He managed to entice Priyansh into an ill-timed shot with a well-tossed delivery that lacked the necessary bounce and turn. This resulted in a high top edge that was comfortably caught by Sai Sudharsan, dismissing Priyansh for a quickfire 47 runs off just 23 balls.

That wicket was Rashid’s only bright spot in an otherwise difficult outing. The Punjab Kings surged to a daunting total of 243/5, propelled by captain Shreyas Iyer’s explosive unbeaten 97 and Shashank Singh’s contribution of 44 runs. In response, the Titans showed some resilience but ultimately fell short of the target, finishing just 11 runs behind.

Following a nerve-wracking IPL 2025 encounter between Delhi Capitals (DC) and Lucknow Super Giants (LSG), a post-match chat between LSG owner Sanjiv Goenka and newly appointed captain Rishabh Pant sparked renewed attention, especially as it aired live on television. While the conversation appeared cordial, it reminded fans of a past controversial interaction between Goenka and former captain KL Rahul, which ultimately preceded Rahul’s release from the franchise.

In the high-profile mega auction, LSG secured Rishabh Pant for a record Rs 27 crore and handed him the captaincy. However, his debut as LSG skipper did not go as planned. Pant failed to score in his six-ball stay at the crease and made questionable decisions while defending in the final overs against DC. Notably, he gave the penultimate over to debutant Prince Yadav, who conceded 16 runs, instead of using seasoned bowler Shardul Thakur. The final over, bowled by Shahbaz Ahmed, was sealed with a six by Ashutosh Sharma, sealing a memorable win for Delhi.

Gavaskar reacts to Pant-Goenka exchange

Legendary cricketer Sunil Gavaskar, who was commentating during the match, weighed in on Goenka’s televised interaction with Pant and offered his perspective on Pant’s performance and captaincy.

“I think he knows,” Gavaskar said, referring to Pant’s self-awareness of his errors. “He actually mentioned in the post-match interview that you often learn more from your mistakes than from your successes… This is just the first match, and there are 13 more to go. Rishabh Pant is an intelligent cricketer, and he will have picked up valuable insights regarding his batting and captaincy.”

Gavaskar added that scoring runs helps boost a captain’s confidence when making tactical decisions. “Once he gets some runs under his belt, I expect his captaincy to become even more assured,” he said.

Praise for Ashutosh Sharma’s match-winning knock

Gavaskar was also effusive in his praise for Ashutosh Sharma, whose unbeaten 66 off 31 balls was key to DC’s last-over win. He called the finish “fabulous” and said it exemplified what makes the IPL so thrilling.

“These last-over thrillers, these breath-taking finishes—that’s what I call BOLD: Breath-taking, Outstanding, Lightning, and Devastating,” Gavaskar said, praising both Ashutosh and the drama of IPL cricket.

As Rajasthan Royals prepare to host Kolkata Knight Riders in the sixth match of IPL 2025, all eyes turn to Guwahati’s Barsapara Cricket Stadium, a venue known for its batting-friendly nature and recent IPL history. The match will take place on Wednesday, March 26, at 7:30 PM IST, with both teams looking to register their first win of the season.

Pitch report: High scores likely at Barsapara

Barsapara Cricket Stadium has a reputation for producing high-scoring encounters. The average first-innings score in IPL matches at this venue is around 180–200, making it a paradise for batters. While the pitch largely supports batting, pacers have found some movement early in the innings, making the toss crucial. Teams winning the toss have often opted to bowl first to utilize the new ball swing.

Since 2021, Barsapara has hosted 16 T20 matches, with nine wins for teams batting first and six for teams chasing. The surface has seen four 200+ totals and a healthy sixes-per-match average of 10.

Recent stats and performances

The last IPL encounter at this stadium between RR and KKR was unfortunately abandoned due to rain, leaving both teams with one point. Out of four IPL matches played here, teams batting first have had the edge with two wins, while chasing sides have managed just one victory.

Some key individual and team stats at Barsapara include:

• Highest IPL total: 199/4 by Rajasthan Royals vs Delhi Capitals (2023)
• Lowest IPL total: 142/9 by Delhi Capitals vs RR (2023)
• Best run chase: Punjab Kings chasing 145/5 in 18.5 overs (2024)
• Lowest total defended: 197/4 by Punjab Kings vs RR (2023)
• Top individual score: Shikhar Dhawan’s unbeaten 86 off 56 balls (2023)
• Most runs at the venue: Jos Buttler – 98 runs in two innings
• Top wicket-taker: Yuzvendra Chahal – 6 wickets
• Best bowling figures: Nathan Ellis – 4/30 in four overs (2023)

Spin vs pace: A balanced contest

Spin has played a critical role at this venue. Since 2021, spinners have bowled 48% of the overs, taking 76 wickets at an average of 25.1 and an economy of 6.7. Comparatively, pacers have taken 80 wickets at a more expensive economy of 8.8. Guwahati ranks among the top IPL venues for spin efficiency, just behind Lucknow.

RR vs KKR: A look at team records

Rajasthan Royals have played four matches at this ground, managing just one win, two losses, and one no result, giving them a win percentage of 33%. For Kolkata Knight Riders, their only outing here ended without a result.

As both teams aim for a turnaround in form, the Barsapara surface offers an ideal platform for an exciting high-scoring contest, with early overs being the key phase for bowlers to make an impact.