DUBAI: Chris Gayle smashed 53 in his first outing this Indian Premier League season to provide Kings XI Punjab their second win of the virus-hit Twenty20 event on Thursday.
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The explosive West Indies batsman walked in at quantity three to placed on a key 93-run partnership with skipper KL Rahul, who made an unbeaten 61, as Punjab chased down 172 to beat Royal Challengers Bangalore by eight wickets in Sharjah.
The match witnessed late drama with Punjab, needing two for victory, scored only one run and misplaced Gayle to a run out on the fifth ball earlier than Nicholas Pooran hit the profitable six on the final ball off leg-spinner Yuzvendra Chahal.
Gayle, the 41-year-old self-styled ‘Universe Boss’ who just lately recovered from a abdomen bug, smashed 5 sixes in his 45-ball knock to announce his arrival within the United Arab Emirates.
“It’s the Universe Boss batting, how can I be nervous?” the left-handed stated after the win. “I would provide you with a coronary heart assault, I assumed I had it within the bag however stranger issues have occurred in cricket.
“It was a really sticky floor, very gradual, nevertheless it was higher batting second. The group requested me to do a job at three and it wasn’t a difficulty (coming one down from his ordinary opening slot).”
The in-form Rahul consolidated his prime spot within the IPL batting chart with 448 runs because the opener struck his fourth fifty — he has hit 100 as effectively — of the season.
And the way! 😍🔥#SaddaPunjab #IPL2020 #KXIP #UniverseBoss @henrygayle https://t.co/DIgvwhsuE2
— Kings XI Punjab (@lionsdenkxip) 1602788402000
Rahul placed on 78 with opening accomplice Mayank Agarwal, who made 45 off 25 deliveries earlier than turning into Chahal’s 200th T20 sufferer.
Punjab although nonetheless languish on the backside of the eight-team desk with two wins from eight video games within the Twenty20 event that was moved out of India because of the coronavirus pandemic.
“As a gaggle, now we have been disappointing. It may well get irritating. Our abilities have been good, however we did not capitalise on the massive moments,” stated Rahul.
“It turns into a behavior – profitable and never profitable. There are ups and downs and this has been the roller-coaster. We wished this win to get some confidence within the group.”
On Gayle’s first look after seven video games, Rahul stated, “He was coaching onerous, he wished be out on the park. It was a tricky name to make and never make him play. It is vital to maintain the lion hungry. Wherever he bats, he is harmful.”
Earlier Bangalore skipper Virat Kohli made 48 earlier than Chris Morris’ late-order cameo propelled Bangalore to 171 for six after electing to bat first.
Mohammed Shami claimed two key wickets together with Kohli and the in-form AB de Villiers, who was dropped down to 6 within the batting order, for 2.
However the India paceman conceded 24 within the closing over with Morris hitting three sixes to complete off the innings on a excessive along with his unbeaten 25 off eight deliveries.
