IPL 2020 : RCB vs KXIP Highlights – Match 31 | KXIP Won by 8 Wickets

RCB vs KXIP
RCB vs KXIP

IPL 2020 RCB vs KXIP Highlights: Royal Challengers Bangalore is set to play the 31st match of IPL 2020 against Kings XI Punjab. KXIP is in pressure to win this match in order to stay alive in the tournament. This match plays a crucial role for KXIP in order to make it to the playoff.

While RCB holds the 3rd position in the IPL 2020 points table by winning 5 matches so far.

Match: Royal Challengers Bangalore(RCB) vs Kings XI Punjab(KXIP)

Venue:  Sharjah Cricket Stadium, Sharjah

Toss Details: Royal Challengers Bangalore won the toss and opt to bat

Captains View 

Virat Kohli | RCB skipper

We’ll bat first. It looks like a dry surface and got considerably slower the last night. We saw in the second innings there was no dew and it was gripping. RCB means a lot, not many understand that emotion. 200 games for them is unbelievable, I wouldn’t have believed it in 2008. It is an honor, they’ve kept me and I have stayed on.

When the team wins you look good as a captain. There have been many individuals who have put their hands up even after two losses. It’s only halfway and we have to keep it up. The most important thing is to focus on your own skillset.

Even in the biggest ground in the world people score 220. There is no given in cricket and we just want to carry on. We are unchanged.

KL Rahul | KXIP skipper

We were looking to bat first as well. Just looking to get a couple of wickets and put pressure on them. We all feel we deserve more than two points and have played good cricket and have lost a couple of close games.

We have come here looking to win this game and be the best team we can. Everybody knows that all games are must-wins for us from hereon. It’s not a bad place to be in, we need to bring our A-game and do our best.

Three changes: Mandeep got injured yesterday, and Prabsimran and Mujeeb miss out. Gayle, Hooda, and Ashwin come in. We’ll see the batting order after how the first innings goes. Chris coming in gives us a lot of energy.

Playing XI

Royal Challengers Bangalore(RCB)

Devdutt Padikkal, Aaron Finch, Virat Kohli(c), AB de Villiers(w), Washington Sundar, Shivam Dube, Chris Morris, Isuru Udana, Navdeep Saini, Mohammed Siraj, Yuzvendra Chahal.

Kings XI Punjab(KXIP) 

Chris Gayle, KL Rahul(w/c), Mayank Agarwal, Nicholas Pooran, Glenn Maxwell, Deepak Hooda, Chris Jordan, Murugan Ashwin, Mohammed Shami, Ravi Bishnoi, Arshdeep Singh.

RCB vs KXIP Highlights

Royal Challengers Bangalore(RCB) Batting

Finch and Devdutt Padikkal gets in to the crease to lead RCB. KXIP starts with much unexpected as they let Maxwell to open the attack against RCB. RCB makes boundaries of the every over while Arshdeep Singh puts a breaking point by dismissing Padikkal while scoring 18 runs.

RCB skipper Virat Kohli gets in to the crease. Soon Murugan Ashwin dismissed the dangerous batsman Finch in the first over bowled after the powerplay. Another surprise from RCB side as they let Washington Sundar to bat instead of ABD. Soon Washinton Sundar got dismissed while scoring 13 runs.

Still, ABD is not in the yard, Shivam Dube gets in to the crease and joins hands with the skipper. It’s the best time for the ABD show but RCB makes a change in the order which may result in a slow run rate.

RCB has a poor record while getting to bat in lower-order but still RCB goes with that plan. As expected Ab de Villiers fails to show his form in the lower order and dismissed while scoring 2 runs. ABD has batted only three-time in the 6th or below position before this match.

While AB de Villiers batting at #6 (or below) in IPL

2(5) RCB vs KXIP UAE 2020
6(6) DD v MI Centurion 2009
33(14)* RCB v PWI Bengaluru 2012
10(6) RCB v CSK Bengaluru 2014

Shami makes a back to back wickets by dismissing ABD and Kohli in the same over and lands RCB in trouble. Though the aggressive batsman departs in the much-needed time,  Chris Morris with a couple of six and a boundary of the last over makes RCB to score 171 runs for 6 wicket loss.

Shami dismissed Kohli and ABD in the same over
Shami dismissed Kohli and ABD in the same over

Bowlers dismissing Virat Kohli & AB de Villiers in the same over in IPL
Jacques Kallis, Kolkata, 2012
Dhawal Kulkarni, Mumbai, 2013
Ashish Nehra, Ranchi, 2015
Krunal Pandya, Mumbai, 2016
Thisara Perera, Pune, 2016
Nitish Rana, Kolkata, 2018
Shreyas Gopal, Bengaluru, 2019
Mohammed Shami, Sharjah, 2020 *

Kings XI Punjab(KXIP) Batting

KXIP still now won only one match in IPL 2020 that too against RCB in the previous meeting. With Chris Gayle in the team, KXIP is not in the mood to change the well in form opening batsman. Thus Mayank Agarwal and KL Rahul get in to the crease.

KXIP makes a slow start and makes use of the 4th over bowled by Chahal. Agarwal hits a couple of boundaries and a six off the over and equals the required run rate. At the end of the powerplay, KXIP scored 56 runs with a 51 run stand. Chahal in his next over dismissed Mayank Agarwal while scoring 45 runs.

Universal Boss gets in to the crease and RCB fans is in great expectations from the most aggressive batsman of the IPL. Gayle makes a steady start as this is his first match in this tournament and makes comfortable while making 10+ dot balls at the beginning.

Gayle makes his comeback by hitting back to back sixes and boundaries and reached his half-century in 36 deliveries. While just a run needed for the victory Gayle dismissed by a misunderstanding run out. With 1 run needed off 1 ball KL Rahul makes a massive six and bags the second victory for the KXIP. KXIP beat RCB by 8 wickets.

Chris Gayle in the first match of an IPL season
10(12) v Deccan
75(60) v MI
102(55)* v KKR
2(8) v KKR
92(58)* v MI
20(7) v KXIP
96(56) v KKR
1(4) v SRH
32(21) v SRH
63(33) v CSK
79(47) v RR
53(45)* v RCB

Watch RCB vs KXIP match highlights

Also read: IPL 2020 Points Table – Indian Premier League Team Standings

Man of the Match

KL Rahul | KXIP

I have no idea, it’s (heartbeat) the highest it can be. I don’t even have words. We knew we had to scrape and get over the line. We are a far better side than where we are in the points table.

It just got too close for comfort, happy that we crossed the line. As a group, we have been disappointing. It can get frustrating. Our skills were good, but we didn’t capitalize on the big moments.

It becomes a habit – winning and not winning. There are ups and downs and this has been the roller-coaster. We wanted this win to get some confidence in the group. It’s my first time as captain, for me it’s always about winning. The personal performances haven’t been on the mind too much.

He’s (Gayle) not been feeling well in the last couple of weeks. But, he is hungry even at 41. He always wanted to play from the first day. He was training hard, he wanted to be out in the park. It was a tough call to make and not make him play.

It’s important to keep the lion hungry. Wherever he bats, he’s dangerous. He’s taken it up as a challenge as well. He’ll still be intimidating.

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