IPL 2020 | KXIP vs RR: Hits and Flops as Samson- Stokes keep Royals’ hopes of Playoffs alive

Rajasthan Royals dished out yet another brilliant performance to beat Kings XI Punjab by seven wickets with 15 balls to spare to keep their hopes of making to the playoffs of the Indian Premier League 2020 alive. As in the last match, this time around too, Sanju Samson and Ben Stokes were the chief architects of the victory in Abu Dhabi. 

For Kings, Chris Gayle’s 99 was the sole positive from the game as neither the bowlers nor any other batsman came close to his performance.

On that note, let’s have a look at the Hits and Flops from the last concluded game.

Hits

#1 Ben Stokes

Stokes has been on a different plane altogether since the last game in which he scored a century. In this game, he not only scored a scintillating fifty with the bat but also took two crucial wickets, making a complete package of all-round performance. Even at the start of the Punjab innings, it was courtesy of the brilliant catch from Stokes that Jofra Archer took out Mandeep Singh with a nasty bouncer.

The Englishman had match figures of 2/32 in the bowling before scoring a much needed 50 off 26 balls to give his team the momentum, which was carried forward by the rest of the batsmen. 

#2 Chris Gayle  

Gayle has come as a breath of fresh air for the Kings XI Punjab as after his inclusion in the team, the Punjabis tasted five wins in a row. In this match, on a sticky wicket, Gayle raised his hands and showed why is he still the Universe Boss when it comes to the shortest format of the game. The Jamaican scored 99 runs in 63 balls to give KXIP a total of 185 runs, which looked defendable at the time.

In his knock, the West Indies batsman hit six fours and eight sixes. Although he failed to score the hundred Gayle said that in his mind he had scored a hundred. He did get two chances as well as Tewatia and Riyan Parag dropped two catches off him, the Parag drop was quite early in the innings.   

#3 Sanju Samson

Samson brought his A-game to the fore as and when was required by the team. After scoring a fifty against the Mumbai Indians, he scored yet another belligerent innings of 48 runs from 25 balls and carried on the momentum from Stokes, thereby not letting the pressure build upon the batsmen to come after him. This knock of his at a strike rate of more than 190 was enriched four classy fours and three huge sixes. The Royals would be hoping that he carries on the form in the last league game as well.

Flops

#1 KL Rahul          

The King's skipper was a tad bit low and slow while batting as he played 41 balls, but could only score 46 runs off them. On the other end, his partner Gayle was playing quite freely. Agreed that the wicket was sticky and gripping as well, but one cannot play 41 deliveries and then score only 46 runs in a must-win game.

#2 Mohammed Shami

Though the skipper Rahul did not put any blame upon his bowlers and only said that dew was the problem, as a strike bowler, it was Shami’s responsibility to give early jolts to the opposition. He not only failed at that but also let Stokes play freely. The fact that he did not try any bouncer in the initial overs, neither did he bowl close to the body or the yorker was baffling as well. 

With this win, the Royals would be pumped up to get to the final game of their league stage against KKR and try and win that to secure 14 points, which might just give them the entry into the Playoffs, thanks to their better run rate.  Kings on the other hand would face Chennai Super Kings, who have had two wins in their last two games and will be looking to spoil the party for another team as well. 

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