IPL 2018: Match 18- KKR vs KXIP : Five talking points from the game

Kings XI Punjab won the match by 9 wickets.

Kings XI Punjab won the match by 9 wickets | Source IANS

Kings XI Punjab won the match by 9 wickets against the Kolkata Knight Riders at Eden Gardens, Kolkata. KL Rahul was awarded the Man of the Match for his incredible, brilliant, and superb firing innings that led Punjab easily chase a mammoth total. Team Circle of Cricket gets down to list the 5 talking points of the match. Click on the links to get onto the next page.

 

Chris Lynn's blistering innings

Lynn scored his first fifty of the season. (IANS)

Chris Lynn played a very solid and stable inning for his team. He scored 74 runs off 41 balls to provide Kolkata a comparative huge total. From the start of his knock, he looked promising to score a big score and that's what he exactly did. Lynn had to score big as in earlier matches he had disappointing outings.

This was his first half-century of the tournament, he badly needed it as the latter was under a great pressure. Kolkata would definitely like him to score more runs, given the fact that the tournament is getting tougher day by day.

 

Robin-Lynn partnership

Uthappa looked in good touch as well. (IANS)

After Narine's wicket, Robin Uthappa came to join Lynn in the middle to help him build a large score on the board and he did it quite well. Both of the players started to hit boundaries over the park and gather runs for their team.

Together they resort 72 runs to give Kolkata a big boost with captain Dinesh Karthik joining the fun. He also played a quick crucial inning of 43 to take his team above 190 runs mark. The target of 192 was still a difficult one to chase.

 

KXIP bowlers pullings things back

Sran picked up two wickets, as did Andrew Tye. (KXIP Twitter)
 After getting pounded heavily by Kolkata's top order, Punjab bowlers tried to sip in things. Punjab bowled quite well after getting hit profoundly. KXIP bowlers only concede 45 runs in the last five overs to restrict Kolkata Knight Riders to 191.

The bowlers backed their strength and tried to bowl on the right patches to limit and put a break on hosts innings.

 

Solid start given by KXIP openers

Rahul and Gayle added 116 for the first wicket. The highest so far this season. (IANS)
Chasing 190 plus is always a handy task but the way KXIP openers have played in the tournament one can have no doubt on their potential and skills. As usual both the openers, Gayle and KL Rahul gave Punjab a stunning start to the innings. Chris Gayle who is playing his third IPL match this season scored his third consecutive half-century. He is in a tremendous form since his start of the season with also getting the orange cap for his batting display.

KL Rahul with Gayle also hammered the highest opening partnership of this season that was 116. Watching both the players scoring a half-century for their team was a treat to inspect.

 

KXIP won the match by 9 wickets

KXIP notched up their fourth win of the season. (IANS)
While Gayle and Rahul were batting brilliantly rain halted in their way but was not enough to stop them from winning the game. After the rain was stopped, KXIP required only 29 runs off 28 balls which was an easy task for them. They comfortably won the match by 9 wickets with KL Rahul falling just in the last couple of overs.

With this win Kings XI Punjab has moved on to the top of points table with 8 points in their kitty. While despite a shining performance from KKR batsmen they need to focus on their bowling, may be they are missing the services of Mitchell Starc.

 

 
 

By Kunal Kataria - 21 Apr, 2018

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