KXIP, Wasim Jaffer, KL Rahul, RCB, KXIP
Chris Gayle and KL Rahul [Photo-Twitter]

Kings XI Punjab [KXIP] finally broke their five-match losing streak as they consigned the Royal Challengers Bangalore [RCB] to their third defeat of the tournament- second against KXIP- courtesy a batting masterclass by KL Rahul and Chris Gayle

Chasing 172, KL Rahul and Mayank Agarwal once again gave a smashing start to their side by taking the attack to RCB bowlers, ensuring that they racked up 56 runs in the powerplay.

Mayank Agarwal was once again the aggressor among two as the stylish opener smacked both spinners-Yuzvendra Chahal- as well as fast bowlers with textbook cricketing shots during the powerplay.

Agarwal attacked Chahal once again post the powerplay, taking the spinner downtown for a brilliant six. But, Chahal, as it often happens, had the last laugh as he once again tossed the ball up. Mayank, in an attempt to slog Chahal across the line, failed to connect and was castled.

Post Mayank’s dismissal, RCB’s spinners- Chahal and Washington Sundar- tightened the screws on the duo of Rahul and Chris Gayle. Just 10 runs came off the next three overs, with Gayle managing six runs in his first 14 balls.

RCB, KXIP
KL Rahul [Photo-Twitter]
KL Rahul finally broke the shackles as he launched Mohammad Siraj for two monstrous sixes in the 12th over to bring up the teams’ hundred. Gayle too joined the party with two sixes off Sundar in the next over to drive the momentum back in KXIP’s run-chase.

RCB, KXIP
Chris Gayle [Photo-Twitter]
Gayle survived an LBW scare in the very next over courtesy of an inside edge on a brute of a yorker by Chris Morris, one that hit his back leg. Gayle took DRS, forcing the on-field decision to get overturned.

And, Gayle made full use of the reprieve as he smoked Siraj for a six and four in the 16th over before Rahul smashed the fast bowler for another six to bring the equations down to 26 in 24 balls. The ‘Universe Boss’ then proceeded to smoke Sundar for two more sixes before he brought up his 29th IPL fifty with a single, to effectively kill the run-chase. Just nine runs came in the next two overs and when Gayle was dismissed by Chahal on the penultimate delivery, KXIP still needed 1 run to seal the victory off the last ball.

Nicholas Pooran, however, ensured that for once KXIP didn’t the bottle the winning position as he smashed Chahal for a six to seal the 2nd win of the tournament for his side.

 

Chris Morris and Isuru Udana late blitz propelled RCB to 170 against KXIP

Batting first, the Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB), got off to good start despite losing both of their openers in Devdutt Padikkal and Aaron Finch as they racked up 57 runs in the first powerplay.

Devdutt Padikkal was undone by a slower delivery by Arshdeep Singh while Aaron Finch, who looked all at sea against the leggie, was knocked over by a brute of delivery by Murugan Ashwin.

RCB, KXIP
Virat Kohli [Photo-Twitter]
Skipper Virat Kohli came all guns blazing, smashing 21 runs in his first 13 balls, which included three boundaries. RCB played a punt by promoting Washington Sundar ahead of AB de Villiers following the dismissal of Finch.

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Sundar managed just 8 runs in his first 10 balls as he struggled to get the ball away against KXIP spinners as RCB managed just 26 runs in the next four overs. Sundar eventually perished to the wily Murugan Ashwin thanks to mistimed hoike on the on-side. And, just when you thought that Sundar’s experiment was unnecessary, the RCB think-tank came up with another rejig to the batting-order by sending Shivam Dube ahead of Kohli.

And, just like the Sundar experiment, Dube’s experiment didn’t work either as he scrapped his way to 8 in his first 12 balls. Kohli himself slowed down during the middle-overs, as RCB managed just 20 runs between overs 10-14.

Shivam Dube finally upped the ante after the Time-Out as he smoked Murugan Ashwin for two disdainful sixes in the 15th over. Chris Jordan, after two nightmarish outings, looked in his elements against RCB and was eventually rewarded with the wicket of Shivam Dube courtesy a short delivery.

RCB, KXIP
AB de Villiers [Photo-Twitter]
AB de Villiers finally arrived at the crease in the 17th over but it proved to be a short stay for ‘Mr 360’ as he top-edged Shami to extra-over for a 5-ball 2.

RCB, KXIP
Mohammed Shami [Photo-Twitter]
Virat Kohli followed in the same Shami over as the Indian skipper was found guilty of being early in the pull stroke that never arrived, only for KL Rahul to complete a diving catch.

Chris Morris and Isuru Udana stroked some lusty blows in the last two overs (4 sixes and a four) to ensure that RCB finished on a high- 6-171 in 20 overs.

Here’s how Twitter reacted to KXIP’s win over RCB:

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