KL Rahul scored his 13th IPL fifty on Monday to help Kings XI Punjab gun down a 151-run target in a last over thriller against Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) at the Punjab Cricket Association Stadium in Mohali.
KXIP has now moved up to the top-four after the six-wicket win at home. This was also their seventh straight win at the PCA Stadium in Mohali, which has been their fortress over the last two seasons of the IPL.
Earlier, after put in to bat, Sunrisers batsmen struggled to get their timing right and ended up posting a below-par score of 150. David Warner played an uncharacteristic inning on what was a sluggish wicket as he scored his slowest IPL fifty.
Here’s how Twitter reacted:
The @lionsdenkxip are elated and how. What a victory this for the home team 🙌🙌#KXIPvSRH pic.twitter.com/tQ6JSTxSkO
— IndianPremierLeague (@IPL) April 8, 2019
Gud win 4 Kings11 tonight.#Rahul really played well to take his team over d line, dats wat current indian players needs to do more often. Being consistent nd takin d team over the line is wat is expected of them. I think SRH missed a trick by not playing #stanlake in dis pitch 👍
— MANOJ TIWARY (@tiwarymanoj) April 8, 2019
So good to see @klrahul11 finish it for @lionsdenkxip! His partnership with @mayankcricket saved the day for Punjab. Well played boys✅#KXIPvSRH
— R P Singh रुद्र प्रताप सिंह (@rpsingh) April 8, 2019
Warner’s misfield to give Pinjab a win sums up poor night’s cricket by SRH. Barring few wickets falling before close, Punjab always in control. Hyderabad were 20-25 runs short. The bowlers made up for it to an extent, but a dropped catch and some sloppy fielding put paid to hopes
— Cricketwallah (@cricketwallah) April 8, 2019
Good to see that KXIP got past the winning line. They will go back thinking about the manner in which they have gone about their chase in the last 2 games. They got the game under control for most part but for some strange reason they find themselves in these tight situations.
— Hemang Badani (@hemangkbadani) April 8, 2019
Well played @klrahul11 closing a game is very very important. @SunRisers were 15 short and that’s what made the difference.
— Boria Majumdar (@BoriaMajumdar) April 8, 2019
Warner mistakes, Punjab win.
Story of the day
— Nikhil 🏏 (@CricCrazyNIKS) April 8, 2019
How often have two opposing openers batted through an IPL innings? Warner, and KL Rahul more especially have shown the value even in this format sometimes of someone batting deep in the innings. Well played @lionsdenkxip . K L for that No4 slot for World Cup?
— Ian Raphael Bishop (@irbishi) April 8, 2019
That boundary from KL Rahul in the last moments of the 20th over was quite Dhoni-esque. Giving him no. 4 spot for the World Cup (at least for tonight) #KXIPvSRH
— Trendulkar (@Trendulkar) April 8, 2019
Seventh consecutive victory for the home side KXIP at Mohali since 2017. Their best winning sequence at any venue.#IPL2019#KXIPvSRH#IPL
— Mohandas Menon (@mohanstatsman) April 8, 2019
KL Rahul hits the winnings runs for Kings XI Punjab!#IPL2019 #KXIPvSRH pic.twitter.com/0RyI4kAuuu
— CricketTimes.com (@CricketTimesHQ) April 8, 2019
KL RAHUL, naam na suna ho toh yaad rakh lo! ❤️❤️❤️#SaddaPunjab #KXIPvSRH #KXIP #VIVOIPL @klrahul11 pic.twitter.com/ls8XpMvXnU
— Punjab Kings (@PunjabKingsIPL) April 8, 2019
WE CONTINUE TO REMAIN UNBEATEN AT #SaddaAkhada ❤️#SaddaPunjab #KXIPvSRH #KXIP #VIVOIPL pic.twitter.com/NzCnMpvOzN
— Punjab Kings (@PunjabKingsIPL) April 8, 2019
Most consecutive 50+ scores vs a team in IPL:
7 D Warner vs RCB (2014-16)
7 D Warner vs KXIP (2015-19*)
4 C Gayle vs KXIP (2012-13)
4 J Buttler vs KXIP (2017-19*)#KXIPvSRH— Deepu Narayanan (@deeputalks) April 8, 2019
Smallest victories for KXIP in IPL – by balls remaining:
0 v KKR, Port Elizabeth, 2009
0 v Chargers, Mohali, 2012
1 v Chargers, Kimberley, 2009
1 v Warriors, Mohali, 2013
1 v SRH, Mohali, 2019*#KXIPvSRH— Umang Pabari (@UPStatsman) April 8, 2019
big win for Kings XI Bangalore #KXIPvSRH
— Gaurav Kalra (@gauravkalra75) April 8, 2019
Warner during Mujeeb’s bowling
Vs Warner during Ashwin’s bowling.
The fear is Unreal. 😂😂 #KXIPvSRH #IPL2019 pic.twitter.com/N9bbZwmT9x— Ankush Sharma (@Myself_ankush) April 8, 2019
Opener @klrahul11 is adjudged the man of the match for his match winning 71* in Mohali 🤙🤙 pic.twitter.com/U7G8TE2qG8
— IndianPremierLeague (@IPL) April 8, 2019
