The left-handed batsman Chris Gayle returned to the field tonight for the first time in nine months to play for Kings XI Punjab against the Royal Challengers Bangalore in IPL 2020.
Chasing 172, Rahul scored 61 runs off 49 balls while Gayle smashed a well-made 53 to hand KXIP their second win in the showpiece event.
“It is good to get a win. Chris coming back to the side gives a lot of energy to the team. The mood in the camp was always high even we were losing. We did not lose our spirit, we know that we are playing good cricket and it is just getting over the line. Really happy that we won a game and it is about repeating it game after game,” Ashwin said at the post-match press conference.
Gayle struggled at the start of his knock but soon made up for the dot ball after smashing sixes and fours.
Meanwhile, Rahul smashed his 20th IPL half-century as KXIP looked comfortable in the chase.
With the duo scoring 20 runs in the 16th over, RCB lost all hopes of winning the game. However, in the end, RCB made an uncanny comeback but failed to get over the line.
Earlier after opting to bat first, RCB set a competitive target of 172 runs on the back of Chris Morris’ impressive performance with the bat. Morris smashed an unbeaten 25 runs from just eight deliveries.
KXIP will now take on Mumbai Indians at Dubai International Cricket Stadium on Sunday, October 18.
(With Inputs from Agency)
