IPL 2018: Chris Gayle calls KL Rahul as 'king' after his match-winning knock

KL Rahul played a match-winning knock of 84* runs against the Royals.

Published - 07 May 2018, 13:39 IST | Updated - 07 May 2018, 13:39 IST

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KL Rahul has been outstanding for the Kings XI Punjab (KXIP) in the ongoing edition of the Indian Premier League (IPL). The opener has scored 376 runs in nine matches and is currently the leading run-scorer for the franchise. Moreover, he has notched them at a strike-rate of 162.77, which shows the dominance he has had over the bowlers in the tournament.

The Karnataka-born cricketer doesn’t prefer to die wondering, rather take the attack to the opposition and dictate terms to them. However, the maturity of a player lies in the manner in which he/she adapts himself/herself to the necessities of the team. Rahul has exemplified himself as a cricketer who can curb his natural instincts when the team requires him to play a more responsible knock.

The jaw-dropping knock

Punjab played their last game against the Rajasthan Royals (RR) who haven’t had the best of IPL as they languish at the bottom of the table. Rahul played a jaw-dropping knock of 84 runs off 54 balls, which included seven boundaries and three humungous sixes. The right-handed batsman accomplished his half-century in 44 balls, which isn’t always the case as he scores them at a much quicker rate.

The knock was necessary as the pitch wasn’t an easy going one for the batsmen. After Rajasthan put 152 on the board, Ravichandran Ashwin’s men lost wickets at regular intervals, which ensured that the Royals keep themselves in the hunt for a much-needed victory. Meanwhile, with 66 runs required off 43 balls and six wickets in hand, the onus was on Rahul to shepherd the team home.

The pugnacious potential nailed the same with authority as Punjab won with eight balls to spare. Chris Gayle didn’t have an overwhelming outing with the willow. He was kept quiet by Krishnappa Gowtham and then was ruffled by Jofra Archer’s raw pace, which eventually led to his dismissal. Post the victory, he posted his picture along with Rahul on Instagram and hailed the Indian batsman.