Yuzvendra Chahal ‘checkmates’ Ish Sodhi in a different battle - This is how | Cricket - Hindustan Times
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Yuzvendra Chahal ‘checkmates’ Ish Sodhi in a different battle - This is how

Hindustan Times, Mumbai | By
Nov 06, 2017 11:06 PM IST

Yuzvendra Chahal, the Indian cricket team legspinner and former chess player, scored two outright wins over Ish Sodhi as the two indulged in a couple of chess games when both teams were travelling from Rajkot to Thiruvananthpuram, the venue of the deciding Twenty20 between India vs New Zealand.

New Zealand bounced back in style in the Rajkot Twenty20 International as they registered a 40-run win to level the three-match series 1-1. Colin Munro’s recird secibd ton, coupled by a some fine spells from New Zealand bowlers, resulted in a comfortable win.

Yuzvendra Chahal and Ish Sodhi were engaged in a chess battle on the flight as the Indian cricket team and New Zealand cricket team travelled to Thiruvananthpuram for the deciding Twenty20 International.(Ish Sodhi Twitter)
Yuzvendra Chahal and Ish Sodhi were engaged in a chess battle on the flight as the Indian cricket team and New Zealand cricket team travelled to Thiruvananthpuram for the deciding Twenty20 International.(Ish Sodhi Twitter)

However, one clash has highlighted the vast gap between the two teams. It is the clash of the legspinners, Yuzvendra Chahal and Ish Sodhi. Except this clash did not happen on the 22 yards but on the 64 squares. During the time both teams were heading to Thiruvananthpuram, Sodhi took on Chahal for a game of chess.

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Chahal was a junior chess champion before he ventured into cricket. He had represented India at the Asian and World youth championships but lack of funds and sponsors meant he had to bring it to an abrupt stop. “To progress in chess, he needed about Rs. 50 lakh a year. But we could not find sponsors. So, he had to abandon the game. He does play it as a hobby these days,” his father KK Chahal had been quoted.

And against Sodhi, Chahal proved that his skills hadn’t taken a dip. The wrist-spin bowler was the first to post the final position of the board after he had Sodhi’s King pinned in a checkmate using his Queen and a Rook. Chahal uploaded a screenshot on Twitter

Sodhi retweeted the post, stating that now that the result was public, his teammate Matt Henry wouldn’t let him forget about his defeat

Sodhi posted a picture after the second match had finished, which he also lost comfortably

Sodhi, however, did admit later that his opponent on the night was far superior a player. “”We played two games and it’s fair to say he hammered me. I didn’t expect him to be as cunning as what he was. I was always on the defensive. It was pretty funny for everyone,” he was quoted as saying by stuff.co.nz.

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  • ABOUT THE AUTHOR
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    Bihan is a multimedia correspondent and works with the sports desk in Mumbai. He mostly covers cricket but his interests include football, tennis and badminton as well.

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