IPL Highlights, Kolkata Knight Riders vs Kings XI Punjab: KXIP Beat KKR By 9 Wickets (DLS)
IPL Highlights, Kolkata Knight Riders vs Kings XI Punjab: KXIP openers Chris Gayle and KL Rahul made short work of KKR as they won by nine wickets via the Duckworth Lewis (D/L) method.
Kings XI Punjab openers Chris Gayle and KL Rahul made short work of Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) as they won by nine wickets via the Duckworth Lewis (D/L) method in a rain-truncated Indian Premier League (IPL) game at the Eden Gardens on Saturday. Chasing 192 for victory, Gayle (49, 27b not out) and Rahul (46 off 23 not out) were going all guns blazing when rain, accompanied by thunderstorms. hit Eden. Play was stopped for 95 minutes after which Punjab were given a revised target of 125 in 13 overs. Gayle remained unbeaten on 62 off 38 balls (5x4, 6x6), hitting the winning runs by smoking Tom Curran for a six as Punjab, 126/1, eased to victory with 11 balls to spare. Rahul (60; 27b 9x4 2x6) got out to Sunil Narine by top-edging a pull to Tom Curran at deep midwicket. With just 29 needed off 28 balls after the break, Gayle resumed from where he had left off, tonking Piyush Chawla for a six to bring up his fifty in 28 balls. Rahul notched up his half century too at the other end, smashing Sunil Narine for a six over deep mid-wicket to follow it up with two fours off the West Indian, who then removed him. The opening wicket stand was for 116 runs off 58 balls. This was the transformed Punjab's third win in a row, and first at Eden since as they jumped to the top of the table with eight points. (SCORECARD)
Fresh from his whirlwind century against Sunrisers Hyderabad, Gayle looked in his devastating best and alongwith Rahul started off dealing in boundaries against the KKR pace attack of Shivam Mavi and Andre Russell. The pair raced to 73 for no loss in Powerplay, and from there on toyed with the home team bowlers. To make matters worse for KKR, Andre Russell aggravated his hamstring during bowling and had to leave the field. Earlier, Chris Lynn (74) took time to settle down against the spinners and plundered the quicks, smashing six fours and four sixes in his first half-century of IPL-11. Lynn got a reprieve in the 13th over when when he was on 62, Barinder Sran (2/50) dropping a catch at deep extra cover off Andrew Tye (2/30) but the damage was already done. Skipper Dinesh Karthik (43; 28b 6x4) gave him good company with a composed knock. The pair stitched together a 62-run partnership off 34 balls for the fourth wicket. Lynn also combined with Robin Uthappa (34; 23b 5x4 1x6) for a 72-run second wicket stand.
KL Rahul is chosen for the Man of the Match award! That's all from this match. You can now quickly switch over to the other game going on between Bangalore and Delhi. The latter is put to bat and is in all sorts of trouble. See you there.
Kolkata will like to forget this game quickly. Their batting did a very good job but then faltered a bit towards the end. They still had a big total to defend but their bowlers looked very much clueless against the onslaught by Gayle and Rahul. All in all, they got thoroughly outplayed in their own den.
A commanding win for Punjab! Mind you, they were after a gigantic total but the pair of Gayle and Rahul made a complete mockery of it. The West Indian unleashed from the word go and the Indian didn't hold back either. Runs leaked from both ends as they amassed 73 runs in the Powerplay to put Kolkata on the back foot. After the rain break, the target was reduced to 125, meaning only 29 runs were needed off 28 balls. In spite of losing Rahul, they crossed the finish line with ease.
SIX! That's game, set and match! A biggie to seal the top spot in the points table for Punjab! What a show from them and Chris Gayle is all smiles. He's growing in confidence and looks to be threatening with each passing game. Curran hurls it on a length, Gayle clears the front leg and goes bang down the ground. The long on fielder comes across to his right, leaps to take it but the ball sails over him and goes over the fence. A DOMINATING 9-WICKET VICTORY FOR PUNJAB (DLS METHOD)!
Tom Curran into the attack.
Low full toss, dipping in, Gayle works it wide of long on for a single. A good over from Mavi. Punjab need just 5 more from 12 balls.
Swing and a miss! Angling away on a length outside off, Chris backs away and tries to hit one over cover but the ball keeps leaving him. Beaten!
On a length and stopping a bit off the surface, Gayle looks to tuck it away but gets it off the high portion of the bat to the left of the bowler.
Slants it away on a back of a length, slower in pace, Gayle makes room to cut it away but chops it off the bottom edge to the keeper.
Wide! Goes for another yorker but slips it down leg. Gayle tries clipping it away but misses.