Chennai Super Kings (CSK) Khaleel Ahmed bowled the most expensive over of Indian Premier League(IPL) 2025 in a high-voltage clash against Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) on Saturday (May 3). After his costly over, there was a debate on MS Dhoni’s decision to choose Khaleel over other bowlers. However, CSK head coach Stephen Fleming has backed both the bowler and the skipper.
Khaleel Ahmed’s expensive over
Coming to bat first, RCB batters started by smashing big hits. However, the game started changing after both openers Virat Kohli and Jacob Bethell were dismissed. Their batting line-up struggled and the game was clearly inclined towards CSK. But then in the 19th over, the momentum shifted again when RCB’s Romario Shepherd smashed 33 runs off Khaleel.
Shepherd started the over with a six over mid-wicket, it was followed by another maximum and a four off an outside edge. Two more sixes came, with the fifth ball a no-ball, before a dot on the free-hit and a final four. In the match, Khaleel conceded 65 runs in the three overs bowled with an average of 21.70 and he was wicket-less.
Khaleel’s unwanted record
By conceding 33 runs in the 19th over, he bowled IPL 2025’s most expensive over. He registered the third joint most expensive over in the history of IPL. Ravi Bopara and Parwinder Awana are tying with Khaleel in the list led by Kochi Tusker’s Prashanth Parameswaran.
The most expensive overs in IPL history are:
Prashanth Parameswaran – KTK vs RCB, 37 runs (IPL 2011)
Harshal Patel – RCB vs CSK, 37 runs (IPL 2021)
Daniel Sams – MI vs KKR, 35 runs (IPL 2022)
Ravi Bopara – PBKS vs KKR, 33 runs (IPL 2010)
Parwinder Awana – PBKS vs CSK, 33 runs (IPL 2014)
Khaleel Ahmed – CSK vs RCB, 33 runs (IPL 2025)
Anrich Nortje – DC vs MI, 32 runs (IPL 2024)
Stephen Fleming defends MS Dhoni’s call
CSK coach Stephen Fleming backed MS Dhoni’s choice to give Khaleel the 19th over instead of Anshul Kamboj or Ravindra Jadeja. “Khaleel has done really well for us this season, so there is no reason for MS Dhoni to have changed that,” Fleming said
He also reflected on Kamboj’s potential: “Kamboj is growing into his role nicely. He has the ability to do death. He will be an option going forward.”
“If there was a big over there we would have won. We maintained a good rate, but at the business end it was just one or two hits away,” he spoke about losing the match by a close margin of 2 runs.
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