Kings XI Punjab (KXIP) banked on an all-round performance to bring two valuable points, as they beat Rajasthan Royals (RR) by six wickets at the Holkar Stadium, Indore.
As a result, Punjab will jump to the third spot with six wins from nine matches. On the other hand, it is a do-or-die situation for Rajasthan who needs to win all their remaining games.
Batting first, RR posted 152 runs after a low string of runs by their middle-orders, Rajasthan has struggled with their batting, and this game was no different.
However, a fifty from Jos Buttler and a crucial late cameo at the end by Shreyas Gopal ensured they go over the 150-run mark. Mujeeb Ur Rahman and Andrew Tye continued their brilliant job sharing five wickets among each other.
Meanwhile, in reply, Punjab suffered two early blows. However, KL Rahul (84*) ensured there is no need to panic. He partnered Karun Nair (31) and Marcus Stoinis (23*) to see his team through. Punjab will gain momentum and will look to continue in the upcoming fixtures.
Here is the players rating of the Kings XI:
Lokesh Rahul (wk): (10/10)
No word is enough for the dashing KL Rahul. He has been a revelation for the Kings XI Punjab scoring runs in almost all the outings.
His unbeaten knock of 84 runs saw the team through against the Royals in Indore.
Chris Gayle: (4/10)
The Universe Boss had a bad outing after leading the Punjab batting pack in the last few games. Gayle scored eight runs before hitting out to Sanju Samson at the point region.
However, he won’t mind this and will look to score runs in the next fixture.
Karun Nair: (7.5/10)
Karun Nair’s form with the bat will certainly bring a sigh of relief to Punjab batting order. Karun’s valuable knock of 31 runs will send Punjab middle-order worries to the coffin.
However, he will have to continue scoring runs in the middle-order.
Mayank Agarwal: (3/10)
Agarwal is just a shadow of his form in the domestic season. He is yet to set the tournament on fire and needs to cash on quickly. Meanwhile, Mayank is capable of dictating a game and can hammer the balls at will.
Marcus Stoinis: (8/10)
The all-rounder from Australia is currently one of the destructive all-rounders in the business right now. He scored a useful 23 runs before returning with none for six in the lone over he bowled. His form will be a huge boost for the Kings XI set up.
Manoj Tiwary: (2/10)
The batsman from Bengal didn’t have much to offer in this game except playing a secondary role in a catch at the boundary. However, he will be keen to contribute with the bat in the next outing.
Ravichandran Ashwin (c): (6/10)
Ashwin has been leading the team from the front, and this match was no different. Although he was a bit expensive with the ball, he was spot on with his captaincy skills. Meanwhile, he will look to continue doing so as the tournament nears the business end.
Axar Patel: (7/10)
The all-rounder had a good time with the ball returning with one for 19 in his four overs. However, he failed to make a mark with the bat. Axar got a perfect chance to showcase his talent with the bat but got out cheaply. He will look to cash in the next games.
Andrew Tye: (8/10)
The seamer from Australia is doing a good job for Punjab. Although he has been expensive at times, he has picked important wickets. Tye was once again brilliant, as he returned with two for 24 in his four overs.
Ankit Rajpoot: (5.5/10)
After having a few good matches, Ankit Rajpoot was brought to reality by the Rajasthan batsmen. He gave away 37 runs in his three overs with one wicket. Rajpoot will take to put this behind and look forward to the next games.
Mujeeb Ur Rahman: (9/10)
The young spinner from Afghanistan is having the time of his life. Mujeeb has led the bowling unit and continued with his job today. He returned with three for 27 in his four overs.
Also read: Mumbai Indians Players’ Rating