Last Update on: May 14th, 2018 at 10:25 pm
Royal Challengers kept their slim playoff hopes alive with a thumping 10-wicket win over Kings XI Punjab at Indore’s Holkar Cricket Stadium.
With just 89 runs needed to win the game, the writing was very much on the wall. Royal Challengers openers Parthiv Patel and Virat Kohli came out all guns blazing. By the time the third over ended, the scoreboard was reading 36 with both the batsmen taking the attack to the cleaners. Parthiv Patel then hit Mohit Sharma for three fours in the fifth over to bring up the team’s fifty. The Royal Challengers eventually reached the target in the ninth over with all the ten wickets intact. Kohl remained unbeaten on 48 while Parthiv remained unbeaten on 40.
Earlier in the game, the Royal Challengers bowled out Kings XI for a paltry 88. Virat Kohli’s decision to bowl first on a track which witnessed more than 450 runs being scored in the last game was totally justified by his bowlers.
KL Rahul and Chris Gayle started the proceedings on a decent note by adding 36 runs for the first wicket. However, the floodgates opened once Rahul departed, falling to Umesh Yadav. 5 runs later, Yadav struck again to remove Gayle in the same over. With both the in-form openers back in the pavilion, the onus was on Kings XI’s fragile middle-order to bail the team out of trouble. However, the middle-order once again failed to deliver the goods.
Mohammed Siraj sent back Karun Nair for 1 before Yuzvendra Chahal dismissed Marcus Stoinis for two. Colin de Grandhomme then firmly put the Royal Challengers on top by dismissing Mayank Agarwal for 2 and reducing the hosts to 61 for 5. At the end of the tenth over, the Kings XI were reeling at 65 for 5.
Kings XI’s hopes of recovering and posting a good total then took another huge blow when Moeen Ali dismissed Aaron Finch to reduce them to 78 for 6. The hosts kept on losing wickets and were eventually bundled up for a below-par total.
Here is how Twitter reacted to the innings:
https://twitter.com/rashi_kakkar/status/996068159760220160
Imagine RCB winning all the games with a great NRR, then qualifying for the play-offs, then getting into the finals and eventually losing to CSK. Beautiful ❤️
— Sagar (@sagarcasm) May 14, 2018
It takes a Punjabi longer to eat a plate of Tandoori Chicken than it took RCB to wrap up the Kings 11 innings. #KXIPvRCB
— Rashi (@rashi_kakkar) May 14, 2018
https://twitter.com/TrollywoodOffl/status/996055685052977153
#KXIPvRCB why do I get feeling all of this is happening to ensure Mumbai Indians qualify for play off.
— Rohit (@Ro82Rohit) May 14, 2018
The only team to lift the trophy with Preity Zinta's support #KXIPvRCB #RCB #KXIP pic.twitter.com/b0ApAmcVkt
— Priyanka Verma (@Priyanka_Vermaa) May 14, 2018
Surya kumar and Ishan. Surya kumar and Rohit. Gayle and Rahul. Mayank, Finch and Yuvi. Batsmen Umesh has dismissed in one over this season. #KXIPvRCB
— Aakash Chopra (@cricketaakash) May 14, 2018
After Watching #RCB bowling #KXIPvRCB pic.twitter.com/XfaYbOq51n
— Rishabh Srivastava (@AskRishabh) May 14, 2018
Punjab's performance so far tonite has been without tadka. Where had the earlier elan vanished?
— Cricketwallah (@cricketwallah) May 14, 2018
Dear #RCB, you’re like the girl who breaks up with you on New Years but gives you a missed call on Valentines Day. #keepinghopealive #stillloveyou #thishurts @RCBTweets #KXIPvRCB
— Nikhil Chinapa (@nikhilchinapa) May 14, 2018
#KXIPvRCB Delhi Daredevils watching KKR, KXIP, RCB, RR and MI struggling for last 2 places in the playoff 😂 pic.twitter.com/7FHDygB3OM
— Troll Hub (@tejasarcasm) May 14, 2018
What a fiery spell of fast bowling by Umesh🔥🔥🔥 In a batsman favouring format, these are a delight to watch #KXIPvRCB
— Gaurav Kapur (@gauravkapur) May 14, 2018
Looking at the way they have been batting, what was the harm in playing @YUVSTRONG12 ? Punjab has become just a 2-batsmen team now #KXIPvRCB
— Vikrant Gupta (@vikrantgupta73) May 14, 2018
https://twitter.com/Sajjanlaunda/status/996040997577486344
Much-needed litmus test for #KXIP. Their over-reliance on Rahul and Gayle will be put to test now. The fact that they have a feeble middle-order is undeniable. Interesting match on cards! #KXIPvRCB
— Surendhar MK (@SurendharMK) May 14, 2018
https://twitter.com/SirJadejaaaa/status/996042571548946432
Umesh Express has derailed #KXIP’s hopes of posting a huge total…loved the way he’s bowled in the power-play overs this #IPL. Pace and control. #KXIPvRCB
— Aakash Chopra (@cricketaakash) May 14, 2018
Mayank Agarwal continues to piss over the hardwork he did during the domestic season with soft dismissals in IPL.
— Shubh Aggarwal (@shubh_chintak) May 14, 2018
Ashwin said KXIP would be unpredictable and to be fair to him, they have been to a lot of extent. #IPL
— Nikhil 🏏 (@CricCrazyNIKS) May 14, 2018
