KXIP vs RR, as it happened: Rahul’s majestic unbeaten 84 helps Punjab sink Rajasthan

Mujeeb-ur-Rahman is the Man of the Match for finishing with figures of 3/27.

Rahul: This is the first knock that I would be really satisfied with because I won the game for the team. The way I started the IPL gave me a lot of confidence and I knew taking it to the next level is by wining the game for the team. So I just wanted to bat deep and win the game. I always try to back my shots, never try to slog. I tried doing that earlier and I’ve learned that doesn’t suit me. I trust my game that I can bat at a fair clip. I knew if I stayed till the end I can win the game.

Rahane: It wasn’t easy to bat on here, but we needed 170-175. We need to learn from this, it’s our ninth game, the bowlers are doing well but the batsmen, including me, haven’t performed well enough.

We are professional cricketers. Most of the guys have gone through these situations and know how to make a comeback. Most of the guys, I think, have been unsure about going for the big shots. But if you have conviction, you will succeed. From where I was standing, I thought the Rahul catch was clean. But the umpires thought it wasn’t And that’s the way it goes. We need to win five out of five.

KXIP WIN BY 6 WICKETS! Archer leaks more boundaries and it’s Rahul who steers the team to victory by hitting the winning runs, which was a four through cover. Brilliant from the opener, who manipulated match situations like a veteran. Another bad day in the office Rajasthan. As for Punjab, they break their losing run and are back in the running for a play-off spot.

KXIP 142/4 in 18 Overs
That was Kohli-esqe calm in a chase from Rahul as Unadkat, who has had a fine outing so far, disappears for plenty. Fifteen runs come off this over as Rahul pulls one off his hips for a maximum and follows that with a deft cut that pierces the gap between point and short-third. Punjab need a run-a-ball 12 to win. How the fortunes have fluctuated. As for Rahul, that was pure class.

KXIP 126/4 in 17 Overs
And....just like that, the momentum is back in Punjab’s favour. Archer is picked apart for 16 runs in the over. Rahul brought up his fifty by carving a short delivery over the fine leg boundary. Stoinis too got in the act with a thumping cover drive, which yielded a four. Huge over for Punjab and Rahul deserves praise for shifting gears so easily.

KXIP 110/4 in 16 Overs
Rajasthan keep the boundaries in check and once again, the bowlers’ change of pace is a tactic that has worked remarkably well throughout this match. Stokes gave little away and the required rate continues to soar. 43 needed from the last four.

KXIP 102/4 in 15 Overs
Once again, Unadkat is a threat while cutting down on pace. Samson produces another great piece of individual brilliance to dive full length to his wrong side and pluck the ball. Rahul was the batsman. However, the opener survives as there is no conclusive evidence to prove that the catch was cleanly taken. 51 needed from the last five overs. Much will depend on how this partnership performs. Will the catch go on to be a key moment during the game?

WICKET! KXIP 87/3 in 12.5 Overs
The pinch-hitter ploy doesn’t work this time as Axar holes out in the deep. Yet another display of fine catching in the boundary as Short at deep mid-wicket takes a catch inches before the line. Pressure on Punjab.
A Patel c Short b Gowtham 4 (5)

WICKET! KXIP 79/3 in 10.5 Overs
Just when the doctor ordered for Rajasthan! Anureet Singh registers his name in the wickets column as Karun Nair, who was looking good at the crease, chops on. The partnership had just crossed fifty. Much needed break and the game is wide open.
Karun Nair b Anureet Singh 31 (23)

KXIP 68/2 in 10 Overs
Nair and Rahul are showing signs of upping the ante and the former relases some of the pressure by stepping out to Gopal and thumping him for a six over cover. Punjab are slowly back in this. They need Rahul to stay through, though.

KXIP 50/2 in 8 Overs
Rahane is using his bowlers smartly and the brakes are on. Punjab have a much-needed time-out. They need a couple of big overs and Rahul needs to take most of the strike. Rajasthan bowlers are not giving away an inch at the moment.

KXIP 35/2 in 6 Overs
Unadkat probably bowled his best over of the season so far. Karun Nair was completely flummoxed with a slow delivery, which missed his stumps by a couple of inches. Rotating the strike has to be the key for Punjab. Just one from the over.

WICKET! KXIP 29/2 in 4.2 Overs
Another great catch, this time it is Tripathi at deep-square. Agarwal had timed is sweetly but can’t get the elevation on the shot. The fielder didn’t have to move an inch. Rajasthan, believe it or not, have their noses in front. Another disappointing outing for Agarwal.
M Agarwal c Tripathi b Stokes 2 (3)

WICKET! KXIP 23/1 in 3.1 Overs
Another great take. Gayle backs off and goes for a full-blooded cut. The ball, going at jet speed, is pouched by Samson at point. Samson showed nerves of steel there.
C Gayle c Samson b Archer 8 (11)

KXIP 19/0 in 3 Overs
Rahul takes control. The Punjab opener quickly hits his boundary-hitting zone, picking Gowtham apart on either side of the wicket. None of the shots saw him trying to muscle the ball over the fielders. Three boundaries from the over.

KXIP 6/0 in 2 Overs
Gayle was in his element when Archer dropped it a fraction short. The southpaw creamed him for a boundary over cover. But it was still economical stuff from Rajasthan. Punjab need to get a move on.

KXIP 1/0 in 1 Over
Gowtham gave nothing away in the over and Gayle was watchful as he hardly got a delivery in his slot to use the long handle. Encouraging start for Rajasthan.

Gayle and Rahul have made their way to the centre. Gowtham has the ball in his hand.

WICKET! RR finish at 152/9
Fine flourish by Gopal towards the end as he helped Rajasthan to a total that didn’t like getting at one point. He is run out off the last ball as Rahul hits the stumps while the batsmen tried to steal a bye. Gopal finished at 24 from 16 balls. Rajasthan are still in this but have to match Punjab’s bowling efforts.
S Gopal Run out 24 (16)

WICKET! RR 129/8 in 17.1 Overs
Another soft dismissal. The ball died on Tripathi, who played a half-hearted push over the top. Ashwin at cover takes a few steps and gobbles the chance. Tye gets his second.
R Tripathi c Ashwin b Tye 11 (13)

WICKET! RR 129/7 in 17 Overs
Axar Patel also finishes his spell and he, like Ashwin and Mujeeb, had a fine day in the office. Tripathi and Gopal are showing some fight here. Can they take side to a competitive total.

WICKET! RR 114/7 in 15.2 Overs
The procession continues and Rajpoot continues to flourish. Gowtham goes for a heave on the leg side, the ball stops on him and it’s a safe catch for Stoinis at short mid-wicket.
K Gowtham c Stoinis b Rajpoot 5 (3)

WICKET! RR 106/6 in 14.2 Overs
And another....that was embarrassing. There was a yawning gap between bat and pad and the ball went through the gate and clipped leg stump. Quick shower for Archer. Mujeeb is on fire and is on for a glorious triple.
J Archer b Mujeeb 0 (1)

WICKET! RR 106/5 in 14.1 Overs
It’s a procession and Rajasthan’s innings is falling apart. Buttler completes his fifty and goes for a full-blooded cut shot and Rahul behind the stumps takes a fine reflex catch. Yet another good outing for the Englishman but it’s over to you, Tripathi.
J Buttler c Rahul b Mujeeb 51 (39)

WICKET! RR 100/4 in 12.5 Overs
WHAT.A.CATCH. This was as breathtaking as Boult’s effort off Kohli. Except here, it was teamwork at its very best. Stokes belted Mujeeb down the ground and Agarwal at long off caught the ball with his standing foot an inch away from the boundary. Agarwal, in a split-second, had the presence of mind to throw the ball to Tiwary, who was stationed 20 metres away.

B Stokes c Tiwary b Mujeeb 12 (9)

RR 94/3 in 12 Overs
Ben Stokes is up and away with a blazing cover drive off Ashwin. This was after surviving a close leg-before shout earlier in the over. That four was a fine example of how quick Stokes’s hands comes down while going down the ground.

WICKET! RR 84/3 in 10.5 Overs
Just when Rajasthan looked like they had seized momentum, Punjab wrestle it back. Samson didn’t get enough elevation on the pull shot and it goes straight to the throat of deep square-leg, where Karun Nair was stationed. The partnership was one short of fifty.
S Samson c Nair b Tye 28 (23)

RR 75/2 in 9 Overs
Buttler and Samson are steadily motoring along and the former breaks a mini-boundary dry spell with a flick off his hips from Tye. Buttler is into his forties now.

RR 57/2 in 7 Overs
Buttler survives! He had missed an off-spinner from Ashwin and the on-field umpire had adjudged him leg-before. The Englishman took the review and it showed that the ball pitched outside the line of off-stump. Meanwhile, Samson belted a slightly full delivery into the top tier and followed that with a cut shot to the point fence. Twelve from the over.

RR 45/2 in 6 Overs
Surely, Ashwin will be thrilled with his team’s start. Samson is biding his time at the wicket, despite nearly being caught leg-before while shuffling and swinging across the line. The spinners are doing a fine job and Axar has been the pick of them.

WICKET! RR 36/2 in 3.4 Overs
Chris Gayle is long on the tooth, you say? You don’t. That was magnificent piece of athleticism from the West Indian, lunging forward full length and getting his fingers under the ball. Rahane couldn’t keep his cut shot down and got a thick edge edge that flew to short-third.
A Rahane c Gayle b Patel 5 (7)

RR 33/1 in 3 Overs
Buttler continues to find the boundary with some ease. Once again, he is terrific with his back foot, and pieces the gap through cover to find the fence. The over also saw Rahane survive a close run-out shout. Nine from it as Rajasthan take on Mujeeb straight away.

RR 24/1 in 2 Overs
Jos Buttler is up and away. Four boundaries from the over, which inlcuded four byes as well. The Englishman was severe on the pull, getting two fours from it. He showed that he is adept at the cut shot too. Seventeen from the over and Punjab’s joy was as short-lived as it could yet.

WICKET! RR 3/1 in 0.3 Overs
D’Arcy Short’s woes against spin continue. The southpaw goes for a wild swipe outside the line and he doesn’t get the distance on it. Tye at mid-on makes no mistake. The gamble with the openers falls flat for Rajasthan. Yet another failure for Short.
Short c Tye b Ashwin 2 (2)

Lineups:

Rajasthan Royals: Jos Buttler, D’Arcy Short, Ajinkya Rahane (c), Sanju Samson, Ben Stokes, Rahul Tripathi, K Gowtham, Jofra Archer, Shreyas Gopal, Anureet Singh, Jaydev Unadkat

Kings XI Punjab: KL Rahul, Chris Gayle, Karun Nair, Mayank Agarwal, Marcus Stoinis, Manoj Tiwary, R Ashwin (c), Axar Patel, Mujeeb Ur Rahman, Ankit Rajpoot, Andrew Tye

Toss: Ravichandran Ashwin opts to field first. Royals hand Anureet Singh a debut, Dhawal Kulkarni misses out. Yuvraj Singh is replaced by Manoj Tiwary for Punjab.

7 pm: Good evening and welcome to The Field’s live blog of match No 38 of the 11th season of the Indian Premier League between Kings XI Punjab and Rajasthan Royals in Indore on Sunday.

Both teams are coming into the match on the back of two successive defeats and will be looking to end that trend. Rajasthan will be the more desperate of the two teams for a win, considering they currently are sitting at the bottom of the table.

Kings XI Punjab had a great start to the season, winning five of their first six matches. However, two defeats on either side of a week-long break – against Sunrisers Hyderabad and Mumbai Indians – have threatened to derail their campaign.

Read the preview here.