Kings XI Punjab reached the top of the Indian Premier League table on Saturday after steamrolling the Kolkata Knight Riders by nine wickets in a rain-interrupted match at Eden Gardens. After winning the toss and opting to bowl, it looked like KXIP would be chasing anywhere between 210-220 as KKR rode on Chris Lynn’s quickfire half-century to reach 146/3 in 15 overs.
However, KKR could add only 45 runs in the last five overs of their innings to end up with 191/7. KL Rahul and Chris Gayle then provided KXIP with a blazing start, taking them to 96/0 in the ninth over when rain halted play for over an hour. Rahul and Gayle’s assault helped KXIP get a revised target of 125 in 13 overs, which they reached with no trouble at all after play resumed.
KXIP now have four wins out of five matches played and although we are not yet halfway through the season, the team looks set to book a playoffs spot.
Not just about Gayle
If you just go by the scorecards, the story of KXIP in IPL 11 has been Chris Gayle. From being picked at the last moment in the auction at his base price to smashing three consecutive scores of 50-plus and counting, including the season’s first century, Gayle has filled enough column inches so far. But while the Universe Boss has been influential, he hasn’t done it alone.
Gayle’s opening partner KL Rahul has also had a big role to play in the team’s wins, with scores of 51, 47, 37, 18 and 60. While the power-hitting Gayle is a different brand of entertainment, Rahul’s innings have also been delightful to watch, filled with textbook shots but aggressive nonetheless.
The two have opened the KXIP innings in three matches together and in all three they have targeted the Powerplay, which Rahul revealed was part of the plan. They also pick and choose between each other which bowler they want to target.
Even Karun Nair has been very handy with the bat for KXIP, with innings of 50, 29, 29, and 31. So efficient has KXIP’s batting unit been that they haven’t even required the services of the big-hitting Australian Aaron Finch.
Tye-ing up the bowling
Andrew Tye may not end up as the highest wicket-taker at the end of the season, but the Australian is bound to play a very important part in his team’s progress. The 31-year-old pacer has been one of the most intelligent bowlers this season, mixing up his deliveries well and keeping the batsmen thinking.
On Saturday, he went for 22 runs in his first two overs but was then excellent in the death and one of the main reasons why KKR could not cross 200. Given the ball in the 16th over, he dismissed the dangerous Lynn with a knuckle ball. He then mixed up his deliveries, with slow and short ones, along with full and wide ones. He conceded only five runs in the last over of the innings, which included a wide, and finished with figures of 2/30.
While some of the other KXIP bowlers such as Barinder Sran and Mohit Sharma have been guilty of trying too many variations and erring with their lines, Tye has managed to keep his bowling in control and taken the reins of the attack.
KXIP have also been helped by a thinking captain in R Ashwin, who revealed that he had given his bowlers short-term targets in the death overs, which worked wonders. Ashwin has pulled out a few surprises this season, such as breaking the trend and opting to bat first in KXIP’s previous match against Sunrisers Hyderabad. But so far, everything has worked.
Fielding concerns
If there is one area where KXIP need to work on, it is their fielding, which has bordered on ridiculous this season. From dropped catches to sloppy efforts in the field, KXIP players have shown the full variety. Their cause is not helped by the fact that their captain isn’t exactly a cricketer whose is known for his fielding and fitness.
Add to that the fact that KXIP have got players such as Gayle and Yuvraj Singh in their ranks, who are well into their thirties. But the most alarming bit is that even the younger players such as Nair and Sran have been quite average in the field so far.
If KXIP really want to challenge for the title this season, this is an area they will really have to work on. You can’t win the IPL if you’ve got a poor fielding side.