IPL SRL | KXIP vs SRH Evaluation Chart - Williamson knock in vain as Rahul-Gayle power Punjab to easy win

Match Review

KXIP SRL won the toss and elected to bat first at their home venue, but it was a rather sedate start to the proceedings by the opening duo of Chris Gayle and KL Rahul. However, after seeing through the new-ball threat of Bhuvneshwar Kumar and Sandeep Sharma, the duo did what they do best - tonked the bowlers on a regular basis, so much so that Punjab put up 140 runs in the 15 overs. Some miserly death bowling could have made up for that once Gayle was dismissed but Mayank Agarwal was in no mood to let things slip away. The Karnataka pair added 65 runs in the last five overs, ensuring Punjab ended up with a healthy 205 in 20 overs.

The target was already huge and if anyone could have done it, it had to be David Warner and Jonny Bairstow. But Mujeeb Ur Rahman had other plans in his mind and getting the better of the duo, he almost sealed the deal for Punjab. But when Kane Williamson got into the groove and played out of his skin, SRH fans started to get some smiles back, which was fueled by Manish Pandey, but the pressure of the big target didn’t help the cause. Eventually, the SRH SRL folded out for 163, suffering a 42-run loss to Punjab.

Turning Point

It had to be the dismissal of Jonny Bairstow in the third over of the run-chase. After David Warner’s dismissal for a golden duck, a lot was dependent on him and Kane Williamson but once the Englishman failed to understand Mujeeb Ur Rahman’s mystery bowling, the writing was on the wall. SRH lost the game in the third over itself.

Highs and Lows

With 151/1 in 16 overs, Punjab was looking at a 185-190 at the batting-friendly surface of Mohali, but Agarwal played a fantastic cameo to soar it over 200. The Karnataka opener’s 39 off 20 balls to go with an already set Rahul’s blistering batting display, Punjab piled pressure on the visitors big-time. 

While Hyderabad had a terrible powerplay, thanks to the pain inflicted by Mujeeb, they had the option of lifting themselves. But Manish Pandey and Kane Williamson played very watchfully in their first five overs of the partnership, which meant the target was beyond the reach. A fresh approach could have meant a totally different story.

Rating Charts

Powerplay exploitation: Punjab 6.5/10   Hyderabad  3/10

For batting first has not always been an easier proposition at the Punjab Cricket Association Stadium in Mohali, Kings XI Punjab openers - Chris Gayle and KL Rahul - started their innings cautiously, mingling to score 53 runs in the powerplay overs. Credit to Bhuvneshwar Kumar and Sandeep Sharma for keeping a tight line but their failure to take a wicket in those many overs had a negative impact on the visitors.

If Punjab’s batting were cautious, then Hyderabad, who definitely boasts one of the most enviable batting line-ups in the league, were on the complete opposite end of the spectrum. By accounting only 39 runs in the first six overs of the 206-run chase, they fell behind by a huge margin. By losing their two best bets - David Warner and Jonny Bairstow - inside the first three overs, they didn’t do any help to their cause. 

Middle-overs manoeuvring: Punjab 8/10 Hyderabad 4.5/10

KL Rahul is the flavour of the season and how can he miss out on amplifying his cult for a few more times? After a cautious batting display in the powerplay overs, Rahul opened his arms and aimed for the skies in the middle-overs, with Gayle giving him fine company. The duo punished Khaleel Ahmed like only they can as the home side managed to add 87 runs in the period between 7 and 15 overs. 

A look at the scorecard might say Hyderabad had a better day out in the middle overs but that is just half the story. Sure enough, Williamson was much better and Manish Pandey did well to give him some support, but their rather subdued approach cost SRH any chance to have a crack in the game. That was the story for SRH in the entire duration of the game, in a nutshell.

Death bowling: Punjab 9/10   Hyderabad  7/10

65 runs scored in the last five overs, do you want me to give any further analysis? Sunrisers Hyderabad were not only terrible at the death today, but it was also a celebration of KL Rahul and Mayank Agarwal’s camaraderie. There was no chance for the bowlers literally. 

Vijay Shankar’s enterprising cameo of 23 runs off 10 balls to go with Pandey’s pyrotechnics towards the end meant SRH saved themselves from blushes, which is directly proportional to Punjab death bowlers’ rating here. This was simply average, corresponded by the 57 runs they conceded in the phase.

Match Frenzy O Meter - Boring

The game almost went on a linear route, with nothing seems to be changing in the latter part. The dismissal of Warner and Bairstow meant, SRH had no chance in the run-chase and for a viewer, this was really boring.