Chahal records best bowling figures in first-class career in England

The 34-year-old Indian leg-spinner Yuzvendra Chahal produced his best bowling figures in a first-class match during his team Northamptonshire’s 133-run win against Derbyshire in the English County Championship Division Two 2024. 

Yuzvendra Chahal already created a headline in India with his fifer during Derbyshire’s first innings. Later, Chahal bagged another four wickets in the fourth innings of the match on rain-curtailed Wednesday.

Watch: Chahal shines with 5-wicket haul for Northamptonshire in County Championship

Yuzvendra Chahal recorded 4/54 during the fourth innings

With the bat, Chahal was unbeaten for no score in both innings of the match. In the fourth innings of the match, Chahal shone with the bowling figures of 18-3-54-4. He and his off-spin bowling partner Rob Keogh (15-1-44-5) destroyed the batting line-up in the final innings of the match. 

While the last-placed team in the points table Derbyshire (107 points in 12 matches) had the fourth innings target of 266 runs, they were bundled out for only 132 runs. Only the unbeaten batter Wayne Madsen (48) reached the 20-run mark in that innings. 

Seventh-placed Northamptonshire (114 points in 12 matches), who are just above the last-placed Derbyshire in the points table, recorded their first win of this County Championship season with this 133-run win.  

Yuzvendra Chahal closely missed out his 1st first-class 10-wicket haul

After his fifer in Derbyshire’s first innings of the match, where he ended with the bowling figures of 16.3-2-45-5, the leg-spinner Chahal ended the fourth innings with 18-3-54-4. He ended the game with the bowling figures of 34.3-5-99-9. It was his best bowling figures in a first-class match. His previous best bowling figures in a first-class match was 8/112. 

SEE ALSO: Yuzvendra Chahal starts English domestic season with a fifer 

Chahal has taken 106 wickets in his 38 first-class matches. During Derbyshire’s first innings, Chahal completed his 100 first-class wickets with his third wicket of that innings. 

Chahal hasn’t played a match for the Indian national cricket team this year. Although the leg-spinner was selected for the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2024 in the West Indies and United States, he wasn’t selected in any playing XIs.  

After his 72 ODIs and 80 T20Is, Chahal has taken 121 and 96 wickets, respectively. The leading IPL wicket-taker is also holding the record for most T20I wickets for India.