Nicholas Pooran is so good to watch: KL Rahul sees positives despite KXIP’s thrashing to SRH

IPL 2020, SRH vs KXIP: KL Rahul said he backs his under-fire players even as Kings XI Punjab suffered one of their biggest loss to Sunrisers Hyderabad in Dubai and remained at the bottom of the table with just 1 win from 6 matches in the season.

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KL Rahul heaped rich praise on Nicholas Pooran after the West Indies star's valiant innnings in KXIP's loss to SRH (Courtesy of BCCI)

HIGHLIGHTS

  • Kings XI Punjab were handed a 69-run thrashing by Sunrisers Hyderabad
  • Pooran is just so good to watch and he's batting really well: Rahul
  • Everybody in this squad is talented. Sometimes it doesn't come off: Rahul

Kings XI Punjab captain KL Rahul has called for patience even as his team is running out of time in Indian Premier League (IPL) 2020 after their 69-run thrashing to Sunrisers Hyderabad on Thursday in Dubai. When asked about his underperforming stars, Rahul said he is ready to put a hand over their shoulders and said they have been proven match-winners in the past.

It was a horror evening for Kings XI Punjab as they went without a wicket for the first 15 overs of Sunrisers Hyderabad innings as David Warner and Jonny Bairstow pummeled their bowlers. Ravi Bishnoi got them back into the match with wickets of Bairstow (97) and Warner (52) in the same over after breaking a 160-run opening stand. Kings XI did well to keep Sunrisers to 201 in 20 overs but they failed with the bat.

SRH vs KXIP, IPL 2020: Highlights | Report

After losing Mayank Agarwal to a run out as early as the 2nd over, Kings XI Punjab were chasing the game all the time. Nicholas Pooran came up with a one-man show, hitting a 37-ball 77 in a display of stunning six-hitting but it wasn't enough for KXIP as they lost by their biggest margin against SRH.

Pooran hit sixes at will and keep their hopes alive but there was no support from the other end as Purple Cap holder Rahul had an off day with the bat. Glenn Maxwell's poor run in IPL 2020 continued as he was run out for 7 after leaking aplenty with the ball.

"Pooran is just so good to watch and he's batting really well. Did the same thing every time he got a chance last year as well. One more thing for us to stay positive about, we know that Nicky will come good," Rahul said.

Talking about Bishnoi's effort with the ball that saw the young leg-spinner taking 3 wickets for 29 runs, the KXIP captain said: "Bishnoi's shown a lot of heart, he's not been afraid whether it's the powerplay or at the back end. He's enjoyed those occasions."

Rahul calls for patience as big stars fail to step up

Kings XI Punjab have lost 5 of their first 6 matches at IPL 2020 are it's a tough road from here to the play-offs. KL Rahul's men need to win at least 5 of their next 6 matches to stand a chance of making it to the play-offs. However, Rahul said he still backs his players to get the job done.

"All our players are professionals and they understand their problems, as a captain you just put an arm around the shoulder. Everybody in this squad is talented. Sometimes it doesn't come off and you've got to be patient with them."

Kings XI Punjab will next face high-flying Kolkata Knight Riders on Saturday in Abu Dhabi as they enter must-win territory in the season.

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Posted byAkshay Ramesh