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In the 31st match of the IPL 2020, Kings XI Punjab (KXIP) finally claimed their second victory of this season after beating Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) at Sharjah Cricket Stadium (Sharjah).

Playing his 200th T20 match for Royal Challengers Bangalore, the skipper Virat Kohli won the toss and decided to bat first. At the end of the first innings, RCB managed to score 171/6 (20 overs). KXIP chased down that 172 runs target on the final ball of the match while they lost two wickets.

IPL 2020, Match 31: Royal Challengers Bangalore vs Kings XI Punjab (RCB vs KXIP) – Highlights

Kings XI Punjab (KXIP) innings

In-form KXIP openers, skipper KL Rahul and Mayank Agarwal, once again provided a strong start. At the end of the mandatory powerplay, KXIP scored 56/0. They had the 78 runs partnership for the first wicket before Yuzvendra Chahal took his 200th T20 wicket after dismissing Agarwal for 45 runs off 25 balls (4 fours and 3 sixes).

Then Chris Gayle joined Rahul at the crease. That second-wicket partnership also controlled the game but Gayle was struggling to add runs consistently at the initial stage. However, Rahul continued his dominance with the bat as he completed his fifty in 37 balls.

RCB, KXIP, RCB vs KXIP, Highlights, Twitter Reactions — Chris Gayle and KL Rahul (Image Credit: IPL)

Meanwhile, just a few storms from Gayle were enough for the KXIP to claim a very crucial victory in this tournament. Playing his first match of this season, the Caribbean superstar completed his fifty in 36 balls.

Also Read: IPL 2020 – Most Run-Scorers (Orange Cap)

It was seeming very easy victory for KXIP who just had to score 2 runs in the final over. But Yuzvendra Chahal bowled incredibly well in that over as the chasing team had to score one run to win that game. On the fifth ball of that thrilling final over, Gayle was run out for 53 runs off 45 balls (only four and 5 sixes). On the final ball of the match, the new batsman Nicholas Pooran smashed a sixer to Chahal’s fuller at the long-on to end their losing streak.

In the end, captain KL Rahul remained not out on 61 runs off 49 balls (only four and 5 sixes). Meanwhile, Yuzvendra Chahal (1/35) was the only bowler to pick up a wicket in that innings.

Scorecard:

Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) innings

Openers Aaron Finch and Devdutt Padikkal put the 38 runs partnership for the first wicket before Arshdeep Singh dismissed Padikkal for 18 runs. Just after the completion of the mandatory powerplay, Finch was bowled by Murugan Ashwin for 20 runs.

While captain Virat Kohli controlled the innings, Washington Sundar scored 13 runs before he became Murugan Ashwin’s second victim of the match. Then Kohli and Shivam Dube built up the crucial 41 runs partnership for the fourth wicket. Before Chris Jordan ended that partnership by dismissing Dube, the middle-order batsman scored 23 runs off 19 balls (2 sixes).

In the 18th over, Mohammed Shami dismissed AB de Villiers (2) and set batsman Kohli (48 runs). In the final over of that innings, Chris Morris and Isuru Udana collected a total of 24 runs with the help of three 6s and only 4.

Among the KXIP bowlers, Murugan Ashwin (2/23) and Mohammed Shami (2/45) managed to pick up two wickets each.