Yash Thakur, among the Punjab Kings (PBKS) retained players 2026, made a significant impact in the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy (SMAT) 2025 during Vidarbha’s opening clash against Chhattisgarh on Wednesday (November 26).
Yash Thakur delivered a crucial bowling performance, taking three wickets for 25 runs in his four-over spell, maintaining an impressive economy rate of 6.25 in the Chhattisgarh vs Vidarbha contest. Thakur’s early breakthroughs dismantled Chhattisgarh’s top order, with the key dismissal of opener Ayush Pandey, who scored 31 off 25 balls, setting the tone for the innings. In his second spell, he picked up two more wickets, removing Gagandeep Singh and Dev Aditya Singh cheaply. This bowling effort helped Vidarbha restrict the opposition to a modest total of 133 for 9. Captain Harsh Dubey (13 off 2 balls) and Darshan Nalkande (26 off 2 balls) provided valuable support to keep the total competitive.
In reply, Vidarbha’s top six struggled against Chhattisgarh’s disciplined bowling attack and ultimately fell short of the target, being bowled out for 106. Despite late resilient knocks from Yash Dubey (26 off 22) and Nalkande (21 off 24), the team could not sustain the required momentum.
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Yash Thakur’s IPL journey has had its highs and lows. After a promising debut season with Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) in 2023, where he claimed 13 wickets at a notably economical rate, Thakur showcased his potential with a five-wicket haul in IPL 2024. However, inconsistency followed, with his economy rate rising significantly. After joining the Punjab Kings in IPL 2025, opportunities were limited, but his skills in the middle overs and death bowling have remained assets, earning him a spot among the PBKS retained players for 2026.
Yash Thakur has been in good form recently, delivering strong spells for India A in the Rising Stars Asia Cup 2025, where he took two wickets across two matches. Earlier, representing Vidarbha, the right-arm pacer impressed in the Irani Cup by claiming six wickets against Rest of India, including a four-wicket haul.
PBKS will benefit from Thakur’s ability to strike early in the powerplay and deceive batters with his slower balls. Although he featured in only two games last season while conceding runs at a high economy, Yash Thakur will be eager to build on his momentum in IPL 2026 and prove the franchise’s faith in his talent well-placed.
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