Teams tend to gain further momentum as a franchise-based T20 competition progresses, but Kings XI Punjab are trying more to do the opposite of that as the playoffs race is heating up. After winning five of their first six matches, KXIP are now going through a downfall and have lost their fourth match in the last five clashes.

Kolkata Knight Riders – who are looking desperate to save their season hopes – have mounted a great comeback after falling victim to two back-to-back defeats against Mumbai Indians. Both the teams are now on 12 points, two short of the third-placed KXIP.

KKR were invited to bat first following KXIP’s toss-win, at Indore. And KXIP undoubtedly regretted their decision as the KKR openers went all guns blazing from the very start. The Kolkata-based franchise showed how desperate they are to salvage the pride of the two-time IPL champions.

KKR lost their first wicket at 52 runs as Chris Lynn returned to the pavilion scoring 27 runs. Another opener—Sunil Narine then took the onus on himself and formed a 75 run partnership with Robin Uthappa whose contribution to the partnership and the total was 24 runs. Both were picked by Andrew Tye in the same over.

Tye bagged the first four wickets for KXIP and later Barinder Sran and Mohit Sharma joined the hunt by taking a wicket each, yet those wicket-losses couldn’t prevent KKR from posting a daunting total of 245 runs.

Narine played the highest individual innings for KKR and clubbed 75 runs off 36 deliveries and the middle-order batsmen later kept the score ticking by putting up a bunch of quick-fire innings with a strike rate of 200 or more each. KKR skipper Dinesh Karthik picked up a crucial 23-ball half-century to take the total past 200 runs.

In reply, KXIP’s score also surpassed 200 runs but the home team eventually fell short of 31 runs. Their mammoth total might reveal the otherwise, but KXIP’s batting certainly didn’t hit the par and they did not appear to be in the contention as well. Most of Punjab’s runs came from their savior—Lokesh Rahul and the skipper Ravichandran Ashwin.

 KXIP lost their wickets in regular intervals and were eight wickets down when their innings came to a close. Rahul’s impressive 66 runs’ innings from 29 deliveries alongside Ashwin’s 45-run knock from 22 deliveries, didn’t really trouble KKR as they had the job half-done after throwing the opponents under a truckload of runs.

Andre Russell, after scoring 31 off 14 with the bat, showcased his all-round proficiency and scalped 3 wickets for the team. Prasidh Krishna took two scalps while Javon Searles and Kuldeep Yadav picked up one wicket apiece. Narine also took a wicket and was awarded the Man of the Match.

With three place still up for grabs, the title-race has become more interesting. KXIP will take on Royal Challengers Bangalore in their next game on May 14 and KKR’s next match against Rajasthan Royals might throw one of the two teams out of the contest.

 

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