IPL 2019 | Need to give credit to KL Rahul and Chris Gayle, says MS Dhoni
MS Dhoni has stated that KL Rahul and Chris Gayle need to be credited for their century stand at top in the encounter between Chennai Super Kings and Kings XI Punjab on Sunday. KXIP had won won the toss and opted to bowl, things worked out pretty much for them as they won the game by six wickets.
In Sunday’s encounter, the Chennai Super Kings had set a target of 171 for Kings XI Punjab. In reply, KL Rahul reached his fifty within the fourth over itself and set the tempo. Veteran spinner Harbhajan Singh was taken for cleaners as conceded 41 runs in two overs, ensuring that Rahul had reached 52 off 19 deliveries. The opening duo of Rahul and Chris Gayle had crossed the 100 run mark by tenth over and after their dismissal, Nicholas Pooran sealed the match by scoring 36 in just 22 balls. CSK skipper MS Dhoni felt that bowling with three spinners on the Mohali wicket was tough but did not take away any credit from the KXIP batsmen.
“You need to give the credit to them. It was not an easy wicket. With three spinners, it was difficult to manoeuvre in the first six overs. We did whatever we could, it didn't work a lot,” he said at the post-match presentation ceremony, reported Cricbuzz.
“But KL batted really well, was ably supported by Chris Gayle and then Pooran towards the end was good with his lusty hits. It was a really good batting effort from their side,” added the 37-year-old.
KXIP were well ahead in the race but Harbhajan made up for his mistakes as he dismissed both Rahul and Gayle on two successive deliveries, followed by Mayank Agarwal’s wicket in the 13th over. The skipper was happy that the bowlers made the opposition work hard for their runs despite the fact that chances of a win were very bleak.
“Quite happy with the way we bowled despite giving a few runs at the start. That's something you have to keep in mind, if you can't win a game, you make sure you get the opposition to get the runs in most number of overs. You have to quickly adapt, learn and reassess,” he signed off.
CSK will next play the Mumbai Indians in their first qualifier game at the MA Chidambaram Stadium on Tuesday.