Chahal performs hat trick in Punjab win that ends Chennai's hopes of IPL playoffs

CHENNAI, India (AP) — Chennai Super Kings became the first team to fall out of contention for the Indian Premier League playoffs as Yuzvendra Chahal performed a hat trick in Punjab Kings’ four-wicket win on Wednesday.

Half-centuries from captain Shreyas Iyer (72) and opening batter Prabhsimran Singh (54) anchored Punjab to 194-6 and propelled their team to No. 2 on the table with 13 points.

Leg-spinner Chahal picked up all four of his wickets in the penultimate over to finish with 4-32 as Chennai stumbled to 190 all out in 19.2 overs.

A dismal season for five-time champion Chennai saw them lose five home games and it is the third time in the last four seasons that they have missed the playoffs.

Last-place Chennai started the season with win against Mumbai Indians at home before they lost five straight games. They ended their losing streak by beating Lucknow Super Giants but again lost three consecutive games and have just four points after 10 matches.

Iyer smartly controlled Punjab’s solid run-chase in the company of Singh with both batters hitting 10 fours and seven sixes in between them.

Priyansh Arya (23) provided a brisk start of 44 off 28 balls before he was caught behind of a short ball from Khaleel Ahmed in the fifth over.

Chennai struck back briefly in the middle overs when Singh slog swept spinner Noor Ahmad and was caught at mid-wicket and Maheesh Pathirana dismissed Nehal Wadhera in the 15th over.

But Iyer upped the ante by smacking 20 runs in Pathirana’s next over that featured two straight sixes. Shashank Singh smashed two sixes in his 12-ball knock of 23 before he was spectacularly caught by Dewald Brevis at deep mid-wicket.

With only three required for victory Punjab lost two more wickets before Marco Jansen raised the victory with a winning boundary. Iyer dragged Pathirana’s full pitched delivery back onto his stumps which ended a scintillating 41-ball knock and Suryansh Shedge was caught at mid-wicket against Ahmed.

Sam Curran had brought Chennai close to breaching the 200-run mark for the only second time this season, but once he got caught behind for 88 off 47 balls in the 18th over, Chennai folded quickly against Chahal.

Iyer resorted to the experience of Chahal for the penultimate over after Punjab was penalized for slow over-rate and had to deliver the final two overs with five fielders inside the 30-yard circle.

Captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni smacked Chahal for a straight six off the first ball before he holed out at long off of the next delivery. Chahal then dismissed Deepak Hooda, Anshul Kamboj and Khaleel Ahmed off successive balls to complete his hat trick.

Chennai’s struggle at the top-order continued when they lost three wickets inside the batting powerplay that included the key wicket of Ravindra Jadeja (17) who feathered spinner Harpreet Brar behind the wickets.

But Curran and Brevis (32) put on 78 runs and raised Chennai hopes of a strong total before Brevis was bowled by Afghanistan fast bowler Azmatullah Omarzai just before the death overs.

Curran smacked Shedge for 26 runs in the 16th over that included two sixes and two fours before he got caught behind in the next over while trying to leave Jansen’s short ball and the lower order collapsed against Chahal’s brilliant over.

AP cricket: https://apnews.com/hub/cricket

Chennai Super Kings' Sam Curran plays a shot during the Indian Premier League cricket match between Chennai Super Kings and Punjab Kings' at M. A. Chidambaram Stadium in Chennai, India, Wednesday, April 30, 2025. (AP Photo/R. Parthibhan)

Chennai Super Kings' Sam Curran celebrates after scoring fifty runs during the Indian Premier League cricket match between Chennai Super Kings and Punjab Kings' at M. A. Chidambaram Stadium in Chennai, India, Wednesday, April 30, 2025. (AP Photo/R. Parthibhan)

Chennai Super Kings' Dewald Brevis attempt to save six during the Indian Premier League cricket match between Chennai Super Kings and Punjab Kings' at M. A. Chidambaram Stadium in Chennai, India, Wednesday, April 30, 2025. (AP Photo/R. Parthibhan)

Chennai Super Kings' Noor Ahmad, left and Chennai Super Kings' Mahendra Singh Dhoni celebrates the dismissal of Punjab Kings' Prabhsimran Singh during the Indian Premier League cricket match between Chennai Super Kings and Punjab Kings' at M. A. Chidambaram Stadium in Chennai, India, Wednesday, April 30, 2025. (AP Photo/R. Parthibhan)

Punjab Kings' captain Shreyas Iyer plays a shot during the Indian Premier League cricket match between Chennai Super Kings and Punjab Kings' at M. A. Chidambaram Stadium in Chennai, India, Wednesday, April 30, 2025. (AP Photo/R. Parthibhan)

Punjab Kings' Prabhsimran Singh plays a shot during the Indian Premier League cricket match between Chennai Super Kings and Punjab Kings' at M. A. Chidambaram Stadium in Chennai, India, Wednesday, April 30, 2025. (AP Photo/R. Parthibhan)

Chennai Super Kings' Khaleel Ahmed celebrates the dismissal of Punjab Kings' Suryansh Shedge during the Indian Premier League cricket match between Chennai Super Kings and Punjab Kings' at M. A. Chidambaram Stadium in Chennai, India, Wednesday, April 30, 2025. (AP Photo/R. Parthibhan)

Punjab Kings' Yuzvendra Chahal, right, celebrates the dismissal of Chennai Super Kings' Noor Ahmad with his team mates during the Indian Premier League cricket match between Chennai Super Kings and Punjab Kings' at M. A. Chidambaram Stadium in Chennai, India, Wednesday, April 30, 2025. (AP Photo/R. Parthibhan)

Punjab Kings' Josh Inglis, right, shake hand with Chennai Super Kings' Mahendra Singh Dhoni after they won during the Indian Premier League cricket match against them at M. A. Chidambaram Stadium in Chennai, India, Wednesday, April 30, 2025. (AP Photo/R. Parthibhan)

Punjab Kings' captain Shreyas Iyer bowled out during the Indian Premier League cricket match between Chennai Super Kings and Punjab Kings' at M. A. Chidambaram Stadium in Chennai, India, Wednesday, April 30, 2025. (AP Photo/R. Parthibhan)

Punjab Kings' Yuzvendra Chahal celebrates after taking a hat trick during the Indian Premier League cricket match between Chennai Super Kings and Punjab Kings' at M. A. Chidambaram Stadium in Chennai, India, Wednesday, April 30, 2025. (AP Photo/R. Parthibhan)

Punjab Kings' Yuzvendra Chahal, right, celebrates the dismissal of Chennai Super Kings' Mahendra Singh Dhoni , left, during the Indian Premier League cricket match between Chennai Super Kings and Punjab Kings' at M. A. Chidambaram Stadium in Chennai, India, Wednesday, April 30, 2025. (AP Photo/R. Parthibhan)

Punjab Kings' Yuzvendra Chahal celebrates the dismissal of Chennai Super Kings' Noor Ahmad during the Indian Premier League cricket match between Chennai Super Kings and Punjab Kings' at M. A. Chidambaram Stadium in Chennai, India, Wednesday, April 30, 2025. (AP Photo/R. Parthibhan)

TEHRAN, Iran (AP) — Anger mixed with worry as Iranians in the capital of Tehran woke up Saturday to images of their country’s retaliatory attacks on Israel.

Iranian state television, long controlled by hard-line supporters of the country's theocracy, repeatedly aired footage of missile strikes on Tel Aviv throughout the morning. The broadcaster also showed people cheering in front of a large screen set up in Tehran to follow the strikes as if they were watching a soccer match.

Traffic was lighter than normal on the capital's streets. The change was due in part to a religious holiday; even before the attacks began, many Iranians had traveled outside the city to enjoy days off in places along the nearby Caspian Sea.

The holiday mood made news of Israel’s assault that much more shocking, particularly when the strikes on Friday killed many ranking members of Iran’s military and paramilitary Revolutionary Guard, something unseen since Iran’s war with Iraq in the 1980s.

“Israel killed our commanders and what do they expect in return? A kiss?” said Mahmoud Dorri, a 29-year-old taxi driver. “We will go after them to punish them: an eye for an eye.”

In downtown Tehran, 31-year-old teacher and mother of two Pari Pourghazi expressed her joy over Iran's attack, linking it to Israel's devastating war against Hamas in the Gaza Strip.

“Someone should stop the Israelis. They think they can do anything they want at any time,” she said. "Iran showed the Israelis are wrong, though they could suppress people in Gaza or Lebanon by heavy bombing.”

Auto mechanic Houshang Ebadi, 61, also backed the Iranian strike but said he opposed a full-fledged war between Iran and Israel.

“I support my country. The Israelis made a mistake in launching attacks on Iran but I hope this comes to an end," Ebadi said. "War will not bear fruit for any side.”

Others expressed concerns, verbally or through their actions. At one Tehran gas station, some 300 vehicles waited to fill up, with drivers growing frustrated.

“Sometimes there is a queue because people fear that the refineries may be targeted, sometimes there is a line because of a power outage," said Nahid Rostami, a 43-year-old stylist. "When is this emergency situation going to end?”

Fruit seller Hamid Hasanlu, 41, said his twins couldn't sleep Friday night with the sounds of explosions and anti-aircraft batteries firing.

“The leaders of both countries should know that people are suffering," he said.

Bakeries also drew crowds as people sought to buy supplies including traditional Iranian bread, a staple of meals.

“I buy more bread since I think maybe there is no flour or electricity because of the war," said Molouk Asghari, a 56-year-old homemaker. “I have children and grandchildren. I cannot see them in a hard situation without food, water and electricity."

Across the country, people faced the continued strain of the conflict as Iran's airspace remained closed.

“Who knows what happens tonight?" said Rostami, the stylist.

An Iranian worshipper prays as he attends Friday prayers ceremony at Tehran University campus in Tehran, Iran, Friday, June 13, 2025. (AP Photo/Vahid Salemi)

A fruit seller sells Mulberry at Tajrish traditional bazaar in northern Tehran, Iran, Friday, June 13, 2025. (AP Photo/Vahid Salemi)

A shopkeeper waits for customers at Tajrish traditional bazaar in northern Tehran, Iran, Friday, June 13, 2025. (AP Photo/Vahid Salemi)

Vehicles drive past a billboard displaying images of top Iranian commanders and scientists killed in Israeli strikes early Friday, in Tehran, Iran, Friday, June 13, 2025. (AP Photo/Vahid Salemi)

An Iranian protester holds up a poster of the Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei in an anti-Israeli gathering in Tehran, Iran, Friday, June 13, 2025. (AP Photo/Vahid Salemi)