Kings XI Punjab (KXIP) win their second game of IPL 2020 after defeating in-form Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) by 8 wickets at Sharjah. This is just the second win of the tournament for KXIP who won have ironically defeated RCB twice in the tournament.
KXIP were rampant in the second innings of the game losing just 1 wicket while chasing 172 runs target set by RCB until the final over. KXIP survived Chahal’s final over scare after Chris Gayle lost his wicket in a mix-up with KL Rahul with just 2 runs required in the last over. The match went to the final ball with one run needed. The new batsman on the crease Nicholas Pooran dispatched the final ball for a big six and KXIP picked up their important two points.
Earlier KXIP made a brilliant start to the innings with KL Rahul and Mayank Agarwal opening batting, while universe boss Chris Gayle moved down to number three. Agarwal and orange cap-holder KL Rahul made a 68 run partnership after Agarwal losing his wicket to Chahal. Next was Chris Gayle’s turn who was playing his first game in IPL 2020. 41-year-old Chris Gayle proved age is just a number after smashing a terrific half-century. Gayle’s innings turned out to be a blockbuster in IPL 2020 who smacked 5 sixes and a solo boundary in his innings to score 53 off 45 balls.
With this win KXIP have four points in the tournament and are only two points behind SRH. Whereas RCB remain in third spot with five wins and three losses.
AB De Villiers demoted to number six
RCB skipper Virat Kohli won the toss and opted to bat first at high scoring ground of Sharjah. Aaron Finch and Devdutt Padikkal gave a good start to RCB and made 38 runs after which Padikkal lost his wicket to Arshdeep Singh. Virat Kohli looked to time the ball and played some good shots in between the overs. Kohli made 48 runs in 39 balls hitting just three boundaries.
However, eyebrows were raised when RCB decided to go with Washington Sundar in place of in-form AB De Villiers at number four. Even after Sundar lost his wicket, Shivam Dube was promoted upfront and ABD came in to bat at number six. ABD could make just 2 runs and perished after trying to go for the big hit. Shami picked up the wickets of ABD and Kohli in one over which prevented the RCB batting to bring up more runs.
Virat Kohli clarified after the match that the change made keeping in mind the left hand and right hand combination going.
Eventually, it was the lower order batsmen of RCB with Isuru Udana and Chris Morris providing the finish to the innings. Chris Morris hit three sixes in the last over to Shami and piled up 24 runs to land RCB up to 171/6.
Also Read:IPL 2020: Fans go crazy as Chris Gayle the ‘Universe Boss’ returns with a bang
