IPL 2020 Match 31 Review: RCB’s tactics under scanner as KXIP secure nervy last ball win

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KXIP

With their sole win so far in the competition coming against Royal Challengers Bangalore, Kings XI Punjab faced Virat Kohli’s high flying side at Sharjah to replicate their effort. KXIP were successful in completing the double over RCB after winning the encounter off the final ball. 

Virat Kohli named no changes to the side that has been gathering momentum with wins over CSK and KKR. Former RCB player KL Rahul introduced three players ahead of the commencement of the second half of the tournament. Mandeep Singh, Prabhsimran Singh and Mujeeb ur Rahman made way for Deepak Hooda, Murugan Ashwin and Chris Gayle respectively.

A bright start by the RCB openers was undone after a soft dismissal sent Devdutt Padikkal back for 18. Aaron Finch was cleaned up for 20 by Murugan Ashwin right after the powerplay. Instead of Ab de Villiers, left-hander Washington Sundar was promoted up the order to negate the leg-spin threat of Ravi Bishnoi and Ashwin.

KXIP

The all-rounder struggled to get going and perished for 13 after playing out 14 balls. Ab de Villiers was not even summoned at No.5 with Shivam Dube walking out instead.

The South African walked in at No.6 after Dube departed after scoring 23. With no time to settle in, de Villiers had to go for the shots straight away following the dip in scoring during the middle overs. Mohammad Shami managed to get the better of de Villiers and Kohli and became the eighth bowler to dismiss them in the same over.

Chris Morris instilled some spirit into the RCB camp with a brilliant cameo that included 24 runs off the final over to steer the side to 171-6.

KXIP almost missed out on two points after RCB’s late push

KXIP managed to go through yet another powerplay unscathed with Orange Cap runaways KL Rahul and Mayank Agarwal opening the innings, pushing Chris Gayle down the order.

The duo managed to stitch a breezy opening run stand of 78 in the first eight overs. Mayank Agarwal missed out on his fifty by five runs after getting out to Yuzvendra Chahal.

Chris Gayle marked his return to the IPL with a vintage fifty after missing the first half altogether. The explosive opener hit five sixes to get KXIP closer to the target comfortably with KL Rahul registering a fifty as well.

With the required rate under control and wickets in hand, KXIP were expected to wrap the chase up in no time to bring up their second win of the tournament. However, the side were forced to go through a scare during Chahal’s last over.

The final equation read two of the final over and after no runs were scored in the first two deliveries, Gayle handed the strike over to the captain and levelled the score in the process. KL Rahul struggled to score the winning runs and had Gayle run out off the penultimate ball of the innings.

Nicholas Pooran calmed the nerves in the KXIP camp with a last-ball six which barely cleared the ropes to avoid another harsh defeat.

Place your bets for the match here.

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