IPL 2020 Highlights, KKR vs KXIP Match: Gayle, Mandeep star as Punjab claim eight-wicket win over Kolkata

Chris Gayle, Man of the Match, speaks after the match:

I’ve been doing some off-field training, been with a trainer when I wasn’t playing, doing a few runs. I’ve been feeling good, been hitting the gym and it’s just that momentum you have, you know. You have that feeling about yourself and the team, and you just capitalise on it as much as possible. We’re happy where we are at the moment, but we still have a long way to go.

It was important to assess the conditions as quickly as possible. They have two very good spinners, and you know, we tried to make the adjustment as soon as possible. From there onwards we just tried to get into our game. And once I get my first boundary, I’m always going to get into that zone, trying to hit as hard and straight as possible. I wanted to ease the pressure on Mandeep as much as possible, but he batted really well, so it was a great partnership.

Sunil has gotten me out so many times before! But when you get Sunil Narine on a wicket like this, where it’s not turning that much, you gotta make the best use of it, which is what I did today. I could actually take chances off his bowling, because the wicket wasn’t suitable for him. I could use that, I cashed in on that!

Mandeep is going through a lot, after losing his father, and it’s so beautiful for him to stand out there, and look up in the sky. And as for my dad (turns to camera), I know you’re watching tonight too. Daddy I love you alright. Big up to everyone in St. Kitts, my daughter, I hope I’ll see you soon, maybe in December though. 

Yeah, the fortunes of the team have changed since I came back in, and everybody will want to say that it happened after I came in, but we needed some sort of momentum and energy. The coach said that we need the senior players to step up in big games and get the result and I’m glad I could do that.

Kings XI Punjab skipper KL Rahul speaks after the match:

I’m a very happy man, the whole team will be. It’s something that we all collectively decided to do, to go out and play positive cricket. We all believed that things can turn around for us, and five wins in five, that’s a collective effort. It’s not one person, every game it’s been a different person who has come good for us. Collectively, we’re looking good. Batting’s looking good, bowling’s looking good, we’re fielding really well. I’m happy everything is coming together, fingers crossed now, hopefully we can win two more games now. 

It’s so hard to lose someone, even more so when you’re away from the family, what with the bubble and all. You don’t have your close ones around. The kind of toughness he’s shown, it’s rubbed off on everyone else. The way he played today, I’m just so proud of him. He’s gone through a rough time. Just for him to be there and finish the game, that would’ve made his father proud. 

When you have Anil Kumble as a coach, it’s not surprising that you’re playing with two leg-spinners. It was something that he had in his mind even before the IPL started, when we had Ashwin and Bishnoi in our line up. He kept telling me that towards the end, two leg-spinners is an aggressive option to have. He’s worked really hard with them, not just the ones who are playing but the ones who haven’t got a chance too. That’s the good thing about the team, the coaches and support staff have done an incredible job with team, that’s why you see guys just coming in an being able to handle the pressure. 

I said this in the very first game, it was a very hard decision to not play Chris Gayle, because he’s the hungriest I’ve seen him in years. He’s even running his ones and twos. He always keeps the dressing room positive, he’s always pushing the boys. It’s great to have someone like him, with that experience, who can do it year after year. It’s inspiring. We love having him in the dressing room.

When we started our run five games ago, we knew we had to win every match. For now, we’ll just enjoy this victory, and think about the next games from tomorrow. One game at a time, we have to keep the confidence and intensity going.

KXIP win by 8 wickets!

Ferguson to bowl the penultimate over, and he’ll be asking himself, ‘is there even a point to this?’ Well well well. It turns out there is a point to it. Chris Gayle is out! A bit strange that from the Universe Boss, he was caught in two minds between leaving a slow bouncer and ramping it, and in the end, he gloves it to Prasidh Krishna. Feels like this is too little too late, but with KXIP on the pitch, a super over can never be ruled out. Turns out we won’t be needing one, Mandeep and Pooran do enough to take Punjab over the finish line. KXIP win by 8 wickets and go fourth in the table, into that precious, precious final playoff spot. FIVE WINS IN A ROW FOR KL RAHUL AND CO!

After 18 overs,Kings XI Punjab 147/1 ( Mandeep Singh 65 , Chris Gayle 51)

Pat Cummins to bowl this one, KKR desperately need him to take a wicket and be as tight as possible. He can do neither, a 4 and a 6 from Mandeep Singh make it 11 runs off the over. KXIP need 3 runs from 12 balls, can Gayle finish this on the next ball?

Chris Gayle this IPL:

53, 24, 29, 20, 50*

After 17 overs,Kings XI Punjab 136/1 ( Mandeep Singh 55 , Chris Gayle 50)

Last four overs of the match, it’s do or die time. Lockie Ferguson gets the ball, and yet again, it’s an expensive over. Chris Gayle starts off with a four and a six, before taking a risky single to bring up his 30th IPL fifty! What a knock from the Universe Boss. Just a couple more singles off the over, KXIP need 14 runs from 18.

After 16 overs,Kings XI Punjab 123/1 ( Mandeep Singh 54 , Chris Gayle 39)

Prasidh Krishna’s back, been a while since we last saw him. He starts with a dot, before being hit for a boundary at deep midwicket by Mandeep Singh. The third is a dot, and then Mandeep brings up his fifty with a single. What an innings it’s been from the KXIP opener, he’s shown real level-headedness. Mandeep gets another boundary, this one’s in front of square. 10 runs off the over, KXIP need 27 runs in 24 balls. We head into a timeout now.

After 15 overs,Kings XI Punjab 113/1 ( Mandeep Singh 45 , Chris Gayle 38)

Final over for Chakaravarthy. It begins with a boundary, courtesy of Mandeep Singh. That one was driven over extra cover. KXIP are ticking along quite nicely. Three singles and a well-run double make it 9 off the over. Punjab need 37 runs in 30 balls.

After 14 overs,Kings XI Punjab 104/1 ( Mandeep Singh 39 , Chris Gayle 35)

Chris Gayle and Mandeep Singh’s partnership crosses the 50-run mark, and it’s no real surprise that most of the runs have been scored by Gayle. A couple of singles in the first three balls, before Mandeep drills a shot wide of long-on for four! Ferguson’s fuming with himself, and he replies to Mandeep with a stinging bouncer. Oh, make that two bouncers, but the second one is way too high, that’s a wide.

After 13 overs,Kings XI Punjab 96/1 ( Mandeep Singh 34 , Chris Gayle 34)

Sunil Narine’s final over now, it’s not gone as well as he would have hoped so far. He’s not been overtly expensive, but he’s struggled to put any real pressure on batsmen. He’ll end his involvement in the bowling tonight without a wicket, he’s hit for 10 runs in his final over, 6 of which come thanks to a big six from Chris Gayle.

After 12 overs,Kings XI Punjab 86/1 ( Mandeep Singh 33 , Chris Gayle 25)

Lockie Ferguson is brought into the bowling attack by Eoin Morgan, can the moustachioed New Zealander come up with something special tonight? Not in his first over, his opening delivery is sent away for a boundary. It’s not the only four of the over, Gayle gets on as well. 10 runs come off the over.

After 11 overs,Kings XI Punjab 76/1 ( Mandeep Singh 28 , Chris Gayle 20)

Sunil Narine’s out to bowl, can he restrain his West Indies teammate? The first five balls are okay, just three singles off them. Chris Gayle then unleashes a monstrous maximum over wide long-on! He really is the best ace to have up your sleeve in situations like this.

After 10 overs,Kings XI Punjab 67/1 ( Mandeep Singh 26 , Chris Gayle 13)

Chakaravarthy to bowl his third over, he’ll be looking to add to that wicket. Unfortunately for him, Mandeep and Gayle don’t share his views. Mandeep begins the hitting with a reverse hit over short third man, before Chris Gayle bludgeons back to back sixes! 17 runs off the over, and it feels like KXIP are only just settling into their groove.

After 9 overs,Kings XI Punjab 50/1 ( Mandeep Singh 21 , Chris Gayle 1)

The Universe Boss is out to bat, and with this being played at Sharjah, you know we’re likely to see some fireworks! Not just yet though, it’s a very good over from Narine, just the three singles come off it. It is enough to take KXIP past the fifty-run mark though.

After 8 overs,Kings XI Punjab 47/1 ( Mandeep Singh 19 , Chris Gayle 0)

Varun Chakaravarthy is back, is he the answer to KKR’s issues? Doesn’t seem like it, he’s been hit for a boundary by KL Rahul, that was sent racing square of deep cover. Never mind what I just said, Chakaravarthy has got Rahul’s wicket! It was a skiddy wrong’un, and it looked like it was missing the wicket, but Rahul chooses not to appeal the LBW decision. On second glance, it’s hitting the stumps, and it was really the umpire’s call. Strategic timeout now.

After 7 overs,Kings XI Punjab 41/0 ( KL Rahul (C) (W) 23 , Mandeep Singh 18)

With the powerplay done, Morgan’s decided to bring in Sunil Narine. What can he conjure up for KKR? It’s an alright over, just 5 runs off it. You have the feeling that KKR need a wicket, and need it soon, because at the moment, the KXIP batsmen are not really under that much pressure.

After 6 overs,Kings XI Punjab 36/0 ( KL Rahul (C) (W) 19 , Mandeep Singh 17)

Our first glimpse tonight of team India’s new spinner Varun Chakaravarthy, and it begins with three straight dot balls. The field is quite tight, Mandeep can’t find a gap. He manages to get off strike with a single on the fourth ball. Rahul faces a dot next, before keeping strike with a single on the very last ball of the over.