KXIP defeated KKR by 8 wickets
The 46th match of IPL was a morale booster for fans of Kings XI Punjab as they finally made it to top 4 teams on the points table and if the trend will persist in upcoming matches then they may get a chance to be a part of playoffs or finals. Having a stumbling start, Punjab didn't raise the level of expectations among fans during initial matches but with this astounding comeback, they are winning hearts of supporters worldwide. In the last few matches, the development is quite noticeable. Yesterday they defeated Kolkata Knight Riders by 8 wickets.
The match was live from Sharjah Cricket Stadium with KXIP winning the toss and choosing to bowl. Kolkata posted a decent score of 149 runs losing 9 wickets. The batting trends weren't sustainable as no player caught the hold of field for a long time in KKR except Shubham Gill who managed to shoot 57 off 45 balls followed by Eoin Morgan (40 off 25).
The batsmen melodies sung by Kings were commendable where every player who came to the field contributed his best. Mandeep Singh emerged as the highest scorer in the match hitting 66 runs off 56 balls commemorating 8 fours and 2 sixes on the board. Chris Gayle showered Chris Bliss on the ground hitting a quick 51 off 29 balls. He was the man of the match who amazed the audience with stunning boundaries. KL Rahul, KXIP's Skipper and orange cap holder smashed 28 runs off 25 balls. These unbeatable efforts snatched the win from KKR's hand.
Muhammad Shami took maximum number of wickets last night. He dismissed 3 players to the pavilion. Chris Jordan and Ravi Bishnoi uprooted 2 wickets each restricting Kolkata under 150. Glenn Maxwell and Murugan Ashwin caught 1 wicket each. Both batting and bowling departments were flawlessly handled by the team making it nonnegotiable for Kolkata to stretch.
Mandeep Singh exclaimed in joyous tone, "It is so motivating and empowering after such a great win. My father always told me that it is a pleasure in hitting and being not out. I put in efforts for that. The partnership was phenomenal and hope for better games ahead." With such modifications in the points table, stay tuned for tonight's match between Sun Risers Hyderabad and Delhi Capitals at 7:30 PM.
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