IPL 2018: Twitter Reacts as Rajasthan Royals Thrash Kings XI Punjab

Rajasthan Royals (RR) on Tuesday (May 8) saw off a fine effort from KL Rahul to beat Rajasthan Royals by 15 runs at the Sawai Mansingh Stadium in Jaipur.

Chasing 159, the batting heavy Kings XI Punjab started disastrously. They were reeling at 19 for three. Chris Gayle was the first to depart after scoring just one.

However, Ravichandran Ashwin promoted himself at number three but returned to the pavilion even without bothering the scorer. Both of them were sent back by Krishnappa Gowtham. Jofra Archer then accounted for Karun Nair to put the Royals on top.

KL Rahul and Akshdeep Nath stopped the rot for a while but the stand could not last long. Ish Sodhi broke the stand by dismissing Nath on nine and reduced the visitors to 45 for four.

At the end of the tenth over, the Kings XI were 55 for four. Manoj Tiwary and Axar Patel also failed to support Rahul as Kings XI were staring down the barrel after being reduced to 81 for six.

Rahul soon completed his fifty, taking his team to 92 for six after 15 overs. The required run-rate continued to mount as Kings XI eventually needed 48 off the last two overs.

The visitors eventually finished on 143 for seven. Rahul remained unbeaten on 95.

Earlier in the game, in-form Jos Buttler’s third consecutive fifty had guided Royals to a respectable 158 for eight.

Sent in to bat first, the Royals were off to a decent start. Jos Buttler and Ajinkya Rahane added 37 runs for the first wicket before Andrew Tye dismissed the latter for just nine.

Furthermore, at the end of the powerplay, the Royals were 63 for one with Buttler scoring 45 runs of them. Gowtham failed to capitalise on being promoted and was out for just eight.

Buttler, on the other end, continued to make merry, capitalising fully on the opening spot. The England star scored his third fifty on the trot off just 27 balls.

On the other hand, Sanju Samson alongside Buttler then took the innings forward, laying the foundation for a big total.

Moreover, the hosts reached the 100-run mark in the 13th over. Mujeeb Ur Rahman finally managed to break the stand when he accounted for Samson for 22. The  duo added 53 runs for the third wicket.

But, the Afghan star then dismissed the dangerous Buttler to deal a huge blow to hosts’ hopes of a strong finish.

In addition, Buttler scored 82 off 58 balls including nine boundaries and a six.  However, the following batsmen then failed to capitalise on the solid platform as the Royals finished on a modest total despite being 120 for after 15 overs.

Also, here is how Twitter reacted to the innings:

KL Rahul:

Same opponent
Same situation
Same sensible innings

— Broken Cricket (@BrokenCricket) May 8, 2018

Solid improvement in maturity of KL Rahul
So glad to see that #RRvKXIP #KLRahul

— Karan (@karannpatelll) May 8, 2018

https://twitter.com/GabbbarSingh/status/993912068284796928

Time to think about reducing the quantum of loss for #KXIP
That stage of the tournament where you don’t want the NRR to take a serious beating… #RRvKXIP #IPL

— Aakash Chopra (@cricketaakash) May 8, 2018

KL Rahul when team in trouble

44 balls fifty
48 balls fifty

Show his class & maturity also takes the orange cap!

— Broken Cricket (@BrokenCricket) May 8, 2018

Tricky surface – elect to bat – set a decent enough target and back your bowlers. Motorway – obviously bowl first. Credit to RR in that respect for using common sense.

— Bharath Ramaraj (@Fancricket12) May 8, 2018

KL Rahul has clearly put a great deal of work on his fitness. Just the way he runs those hard doubles is a testimony to that #RRvKXIP #IPL2018

— Arun Venugopal (@scarletrun) May 8, 2018

Punjab on the mat. Rahul still there, but others in top order gone. Will take something extraordinary to turn match around.

— Cricketwallah (@cricketwallah) May 8, 2018

19/3. Batsmen Are So Scared They're Getting Out Deliberately So That They Don't Have To Face The Farce Of Lord Stuart Binny. ?? #RRvKXIP #RRvsKXIP

— Sir Jadeja fan (@SirJadeja) May 8, 2018

This was the first time that Ashwin batted at No.3 in T20 cricket. He has now batted at all the positions in T20 cricket.#RRvKXIP

— Umang Pabari (@UPStatsman) May 8, 2018

Before People Could Know Why Ashwin Came At Number 3, He Was Already Back In The Pavilion…#RRvKXIP

— Babu Bhaiya (@Shahrcasm) May 8, 2018

Sending Axar Patel Ahead Of Stoinis & Mayank In Last Game.
Now Ashwin At Number 3.
God Bless Kings XI Punjab Think Tank. #RRvKXIP #IPL2018

— Dinesh Berry (@CricketSpeaks) May 8, 2018

And the award for nayi soch goes to Ravi ashwin for batting at 3 no. and getting out for a duck??#RRvKXIP

— Sumedh Shende (@SumedhShende2) May 8, 2018

Ashwin is like that guy from gully cricket who owns the bat – he bats up the order and also bowls maximum overs. #RRvKXIP

— Sagar (@sagarcasm) May 8, 2018

How it took @rajasthanroyals so long to realise @josbuttler had to open I will never know …. #OnOn #IPL2018

— Michael Vaughan (@MichaelVaughan) May 8, 2018

Rajasthan Royals will be ruing they haven't used Butler as opener from the start of the season. Inexplicable to be honest

— Cricketwallah (@cricketwallah) May 8, 2018

RR might have missed the trick by not opening Jos Buttler early in the IPL and ECB might be taking some notes now…

— Broken Cricket (@BrokenCricket) May 8, 2018

Jos Buttler in the middle order this IPL : 10(11),6(8),22(17),24*(18),23(14),29(18),6(9)
Jos Buttler as an opener this IPL :
67(26),51(39),51*(28).

— arfan (@Im__Arfan) May 8, 2018

Graeme Smith in commentary

“A lot of pressure on these two batsman as middle order hasn’t performed and Stuart Binny is also back in the team”

So subtle ???

— The Lying Lama 2.0 (@KyaUkhaadLega) May 8, 2018

https://twitter.com/pun_star69/status/993882137047650304

https://twitter.com/Sajjanlaunda/status/993881805429227521

Jos Buttler once asked to open

18 balls half-century
27 balls half-century

— Broken Cricket (@BrokenCricket) May 8, 2018

Shane Warne walks out at the strategic time out, pats Buttler on the back and says 'what a great mentor I am….' #ipl

— Innocent Bystander (@InnoBystander) May 8, 2018

https://twitter.com/TheLyrebird1001/status/993862752044122113

Andrew Tye has picked up the Indian ‘ok’ head shake #ipl pic.twitter.com/g6j6rm5ytN

— simon hughes (@theanalyst) May 8, 2018

Kings XI have a lot of statues in the field – Scott Styris

? ? ?

— Nikhil ? (@CricCrazyNIKS) May 8, 2018

#IPL2018
English Commentator- That's a superb Reverse Sweep.

Hindi Commentator(A.C.)- घी अगर सीधी ऊँगली से ना निकले , तो ऊँगली टेढ़ी करनी पड़ती है । ???#RRvKXIP #VIVOIPL #IPL2018

— Subodh Agarwal? (@SubodhAgarwal1) May 8, 2018

Ajinkya Rahane might go the Che Pujara way. Play only one format.

— Рramod. (@Cric_Pramod) May 8, 2018

This innings of Rahane is dedicated to his captaincy call for Afghanistan Test. #RRvKXIP

— Mon (@4sacinom) May 8, 2018

Thank god Ajinkya Rahane threw it away before doing damages to Rajasthan Royals.#RRvKXIP

— Jaanvi? (@ThatCric8Girl) May 8, 2018