Kings XI Punjab co-owner Preity Zinta gave a ‘statutory warning’ to the fans after KXIP took the game against Royal Challengers Bangalore to the last over before Nicholas Pooran hit a six when 1 run was needed off the last ball in an IPL 2020 encounter on Thursday.
Zinta was relieved that KXIP put an end to their losing streak in this edition of the Indian Premier League but also added that it would be better if her team didn’t give ‘heart attacks to people in the name of cricket.’
“Finally a much needed win for US Partying face Wish our team wouldn’t give heart attacks to people in the name of cricket. Statutory Warning @lionsdenkxip games are not for the faint hearted. I really admired the fight back from the RCB Bowlers in the end,” tweeted Preity Zinta.
Both Rahul (61 not off 49) and Gayle (53 off 45) smashed five sixes each, rendering the opposition attack helpless.
It was a rare all-round effort from KXIP who had failed to close out games earlier in the competition.
Mohammad Shami (2/45) conceded 24 runs in the final over that spoiled his figures after he got rid of Kohli and AB de Villiers but overall it was a much improved bowling effort by KXIP especially in the death overs.
Leg spinner M Ashwin struck twice and pacer Chris Jordan took his first wicket of the tournament.
The run chase was supposed to be straightforward after Agarwal took the opposition to the cleaners in the powerplay before Rahul took over. As usual, the 41-year-old Gayle, batting at three, took his time early on before going ballistic.
Earlier, KXIP conceded only 25 runs from over 16-19 before Morris and Isuru Udana hammered Shami for three sixes.
Rahul experimented by opening the bowling with Glenn Maxwell (0/28 in 4 overs). He was slog swept by his Australian teammate and close friend Aaron Finch on the final ball.
Other opener Devdutt Padikkal (18) also went for his shots with his best hit of the night being the whip off Shami that went for a six over deep square leg.
However, both Padikkal and Finch could not build on their starts. Padikkal was foxed by a slower one from left-arm pacer Arshdeep Singh to be caught at cover, while Finch missed a fast leg-break from M Ashwin, leaving RCB at 62 for two in the seventh over.
With Kohli looking good at the other end, AB de Villiers was expected to come in at his usual number four spot but with two leg-spinners in operation, left-handed batsman Washington Sundar was sent ahead of the South African.
The move did not work as he struggled to 13 off 14 balls.
KXIP, whose bowling has been the weakest link, did rather well from 11-14 overs conceding just 20 runs to put pressure on the opposition.
RCB needed to move on and southpaw Shivam Dube provided the timely strike, dispatching Ravi Bishnoi to consecutive sixes to amass 19 runs from the over.
Following Dube’s dismissal in the 15th over, De Villiers finally joined Kohli for the late assault, which was eventually provided by Morris.
(With PTI inputs)
Source: IPLT20.com