IPL 2026 Purple Cap: Noor single-handedly outshines KKR's spin trio—what is the state of the Purple Cap race after CSK's victory?

On one side stood the spin trio of Sunil Narine, Varun Chakravarthy, and Anukul Roy; on the other was Chennai Super Kings’ (CSK) Afghan spinner, Noor Ahmad. On the pitch at Chennai’s Chepauk Stadium—where the ball was holding up slightly and batsmen were struggling to play their shots—KKR’s spin trio managed to take only two wickets, whereas on that very same surface, Noor dismissed three batsmen while conceding a mere 18 runs in his four overs.

Noor Ahmad Emerges as CSK’s Real Hero

Noor tilted the match in CSK’s favor by dismissing KKR captain Ajinkya Rahane (28), Cameron Green (00), and Rinku Singh (06). Batting first, Chennai had set Kolkata a target of 193 runs; in response, the team led by Rahane could only muster 160 runs. CSK registered their second consecutive victory, while this marked Kolkata’s fourth defeat. Consequently, Kolkata’s wait for their first win of the 2026 season has been further prolonged.

Noor Leaves Kolkata Knight Riders ‘Dazzle-less’

Chasing the target, Kolkata opted for a change in strategy this time, sending Sunil Narine to open the innings alongside Finn Allen; however, this gamble too failed to pay off. Finn and Narine were unable to provide the team with a brisk start and were both back in the pavilion within the Powerplay itself. This was followed by a 50-run partnership between Rahane and Angkrish Raghuvanshi, but Akeal Hosein dealt KKR their third blow by dismissing Raghuvanshi in the 10th over.

Subsequently, CSK captain Ruturaj handed the ball to Noor, who turned the tide of the match by dismissing both Rahane and Green on the final two deliveries of his very first over. First, he had Rahane caught by Ruturaj, who was stationed at extra cover. Rahane became Noor’s 50th victim in the IPL.

On the very next delivery, Noor clean bowled Green, the most expensive overseas player in the IPL. In his second over, Noor conceded no runs to Rinku off the first four deliveries; under the resulting pressure, Rinku attempted a big shot but ended up getting dismissed. It was at this juncture that the match slipped out of KKR’s grasp.

Sanju and Brevis Anchor the Innings

Meanwhile, Chennai got off to a blistering start; Sanju Samson and young batsman Ayush Mhatre batted aggressively during the Powerplay, propelling the team to a total of 72 runs within just six overs. Mhatre scored 38 runs off 17 balls—smashing two consecutive sixes—and won the hearts of the spectators by executing a magnificent ‘Natraj shot.’

Samson, for his part, anchored the innings with a knock of 48 runs off 32 balls. However, the match took a complete turn after the Powerplay. Narine, Anukul, and Varun Chakravarthy combined to put the brakes on Chennai’s run rate. Together, the three spinners conceded a mere 68 runs across 10 overs. In the 14 overs following the Powerplay, the Chennai team could only add another 120 runs to their total. In the middle order, Dewald Brevis played some fine shots, scoring 41 runs off 29 balls and offering a glimpse of his immense talent.

Sarfaraz Khan also displayed astute batting skills during his innings of 23 runs. The duo shared a half-century partnership, though they were unable to steer the team to a massive total. In the death overs, fast bowler Kartik Tyagi delivered a brilliant spell. Bowling at speeds exceeding 140 km/h, he troubled the batsmen and claimed two wickets while conceding 35 runs in his four overs.

Captain Ruturaj’s Bat Remains Silent Once Again

For CSK, Captain Ruturaj Gaikwad’s inability to score runs has now become a major cause for concern. Once again, Ruturaj failed to reach double digits. So far this season—across five matches—he has managed to cross the ten-run mark on only two occasions. He appeared to struggle against the Kolkata Knight Riders as well, eventually getting dismissed after scoring just seven runs.

IPL 2026 Purple Cap List

Twenty-two matches of IPL 2026 have already been played, and as far as the Purple Cap is concerned, it currently rests on the head of Gujarat Titans’ Prasidh Krishna. Playing in 4 matches so far, Prasidh has claimed 10 wickets. Ranked second on this list is CSK’s Anshul Kamboj, who has also taken 10 wickets. During this period, his economy rate stood at 10.12, whereas Prasidh holds the number one spot thanks to a superior economy rate. Meanwhile, CSK’s Noor Ahmad has taken 5 wickets across 4 matches and currently sits at the 29th position.

Turning to the Orange Cap, it is currently held by Sunrisers Hyderabad’s Heinrich Klaasen, who has amassed a total of 224 runs in 5 matches. Ishan Kishan occupies the second spot on the Orange Cap list, having scored 213 runs. Vaibhav Suryavanshi holds the third position with 200 runs.