IPL 2019: Ravi Ashwin shares an update after Chris Gayle twisted his back against Mumbai Indians

It goes without saying that Chris Gayle has been an integral part of the Kings XI Punjab (KXIP) ever since he was roped in last year by the Ravi Ashwin-captained franchise. Yesterday, the Jamaican played a whirlwind knock of 63 runs from 36 deliveries with three fours and seven sixes against the Mumbai Indians (MI) at the Wankhede Stadium, though the efforts eventually went in vain.

The hosts won the game by three wickets off the last ball courtesy of Kieron Pollard’s, the stand-in-skipper, 31-ball 83 masterclass. During his knock, the 39-year-old Gayle looked in quite a bit of discomfort as he seemed to have twisted his back and was also seen sitting on the ground. In the meantime, Ashwin shared an update on the swashbuckling left-handed batsman.

“Rahul batted through and closed out the inning We could have been a little more steelier and smarter with our plans. He (Gayle) said he twisted his back. We have to go check and how he is,” Ashwin was quoted as saying in the post-match presentation ceremony.

I think it was a defendable total

Punjab were in a rather strong position even after the first-half of Mumbai’s run-chase as the latter needed to score at over 12 rpo with not much firepower left in the tank. However, KXIP couldn’t get their act together and leaked runs at a haemorrhaging rate. After the defeat, Ashwin admitted that his team could have fielded a tad better on a ground where defending totals can be tough.

“We were a bit up and down with our fielding and catching. Probably, if we would have been sharper, we would have ended up on the right side. I think it was a defendable total. It was just about par. It is a hard defending ground,” the KXIP captain added.

Punjab are next scheduled to play the Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) at the Punjab Cricket Association (PCA) Stadium in Mohali on Saturday, April 143.

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