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In the thirteenth match of Indian Premier League (IPL) 2020 between Kings XI Punjab (KXIP) and Mumbai Indians (MI), the Rohit Sharma-led side won the contest by 48 runs. It was KXIP’s third loss in the competition.
Chasing a target of 192, KXIP batsmen could only manage 143 in 20 overs. But there is another battle where KXIP players are dominating, and it is for the prestigious Orange Cap. KXIP skipper KL Rahul and his teammate Mayank Agarwal are in a neck to neck position in the leading run-scorer list.
After the end of the game against MI, Mayank earned the Orange Cap as he scored 25 runs in the match which took his run tally to 246 runs. However, Rahul, who has so far scored 239 runs in the tournament, has set his eyes firmly on the Orange Cap. Rahul gave hints of such during the post-match presentation.
“Until and unless that Orange Cap stays with KXIP, I’m happy. He’s (Agarwal) worked very hard and deserves that cap. I’m sure I’ll take it off him soon,” said Rahul.
Rahul revealed how thinking about the shortest format in the lockdown helped him to get into a good position.
“We are not competing for the cap; we are just looking to play some good cricket. It doesn’t matter who gets the runs, be it Rahul, Pooran, or anyone else. Runs in the international circuit have given me a lot of confidence. In the lockdown, I sat down and looked at how things will work in the T20 template. The thought is just about getting into great positions,” he added.
We could’ve got three wins out of four: Rahul
After facing a comprehensive defeat against MI, Rahul admitted that his team made some mistakes which cost them the match. The KXIP leader also reckoned that they could have won three out of their four games in IPL 2020.
“Obviously disappointing. Looking back, we could’ve got three wins out of four. This game, we made some mistakes. Important we come back stronger,” remarked the 28-year-old.
Rahul further spoke about the plan for the upcoming fixtures of KXIP. He said that they might consider playing an extra bowler or an all-rounder.
“The wicket looked good with the new ball. Don’t know if it slowed after that. Another bowling option would be nice – an all-rounder option who can bat and bowl well. Will be sitting with the coaches to decide if we want to play an extra bowler,” Rahul added further.
