KXIP Find Their Way to Victory Against RCB with Scintillating Performances

RCB defeated by KXIP

Tuesday, 20th October 2020

Magnificent half centuries from K L Rahul and Chris Gayle directed Kings XI Punjab to a scintillating victory with 8 wickets against Royal Challengers Bangalore in the 31st match of the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2020 at Sharjah Cricket Stadium.

The Punjab team were chasing a target of 172 runs with Mayank Agarwal (45) and KL Rahul contributing to a 78-run opening partnership towards it. Gayle scored his first half century this season with a smashing 53 off 45 balls while Rahul was not out at 61.

Earlier in the match, some late hitting by Chris Morris (25 off 8) and Isuru Udana (10) along with skipper Kohli’s top score of 48 runs off 39 balls, pulled the RCB score to 171 for 6. The only wicket picked up for RCB was by Chahal (1/35). This was Captain Kohli’s 200th game for the Challengers.

The Bangalore team had won the toss and opted to bat first. For the King’s XI team, bowlers Mohammed Shami (2/45) and Murugan Ashwin (2/23) nabbed two wickets each. Although Shami conceded 24 runs in the final over especially after he got rid of Kohli and AB de Villiers, the overall bowling performance by the KXIP team had shown much improvement especially in the death overs.

The match turned out to have a nail-biting finish despite having nine wickets in hand and needing just 7 runs from the final two overs. It became a do or die situation but Nicholas Pooran finally nailed it by hitting the final six to the last ball.

There were some ecstatic moments with smash-hits by both Gayle and Rahul who bagged five sixes each crippling the fielding side.

The Punjab team who had not managed to deliver well earlier in the tournament, put up a rare show of all-round expertise.

Source: Times of India