An upbeat Kings XI Punjab faces home favourite Kolkata Knight Riders in an IPL fixture here on Wednesday.
Gayle
Kolkata:
Kings captain Ashwin dismissedButtler when he was looking in imperious touch with 69 from 43 balls and Rajasthan was well on course to overhaul the target of 185 but following the dismissal it went on to lose eight wickets for 62 runs to hand Kings XI Punjab its maiden win in Jaipur.
With a debate raging over the runout, it remains to be seen how Ashwin and Co. start afresh in what will be their first away match of the season. Kings XI’s biggest star Chris Gayle scored a 47-ball 79 and his Jamaican rivalry with fellow mate Andre Russell, who also looked in blistering touch for KKR, will be one of the sub plots of the clash here
The Universe Boss, who will retire from ODIs after the 2019 World Cup, has been in sensational form, smashing 39 sixes in the five-match ODI series against England and set the record for most sixes by a batsman in international cricket. A typical slow starter, Gayle was 14 off 18 balls but the opener hit top gear in the 12th over hammering Jaydev Unadkat for four successive boundaries.
A former KKR player, Gayle knows Eden Gardens like the back of his hand as he would look to continue his assault on the spin-oriented KKR attack. Russell will be KKR’s answer to Gayle as the KKR star also fashioned a sensational win, smashing an unbeaten 49 from 19 balls in its opening fixture against Sunrisers Hyderabad here two days ago. The win saw its star spinner and explosive opener, Sunil Narine, hurt his finger and KKR would hope he is fit in time.
KKR will embark on a crucial four-match away sojourn after this and it would look to keep its momentum intact before it returns home to face Delhi Capitals on April 12.
After notching up a win against Rajasthan Royals, Kings XI will hope to keep the winning momentum.
Kings captain Ashwin dismissedButtler when he was looking in imperious touch with 69 from 43 balls and Rajasthan was well on course to overhaul the target of 185 but following the dismissal it went on to lose eight wickets for 62 runs to hand Kings XI Punjab its maiden win in Jaipur.
With a debate raging over the runout, it remains to be seen how Ashwin and Co. start afresh in what will be their first away match of the season. Kings XI’s biggest star Chris Gayle scored a 47-ball 79 and his Jamaican rivalry with fellow mate Andre Russell, who also looked in blistering touch for KKR, will be one of the sub plots of the clash here
The Universe Boss, who will retire from ODIs after the 2019 World Cup, has been in sensational form, smashing 39 sixes in the five-match ODI series against England and set the record for most sixes by a batsman in international cricket. A typical slow starter, Gayle was 14 off 18 balls but the opener hit top gear in the 12th over hammering Jaydev Unadkat for four successive boundaries.
A former KKR player, Gayle knows Eden Gardens like the back of his hand as he would look to continue his assault on the spin-oriented KKR attack. Russell will be KKR’s answer to Gayle as the KKR star also fashioned a sensational win, smashing an unbeaten 49 from 19 balls in its opening fixture against Sunrisers Hyderabad here two days ago. The win saw its star spinner and explosive opener, Sunil Narine, hurt his finger and KKR would hope he is fit in time.
KKR will embark on a crucial four-match away sojourn after this and it would look to keep its momentum intact before it returns home to face Delhi Capitals on April 12.