Jaipur: Chris Gayle (79, 47b, 8×4, 4×6) struck a belligerent half-century to guide Kings XI Punjab (KXIP) to a challenging 184/4 against Rajasthan Royals (RR) in their opening IPL match here Monday.
Opening the innings, Gayle started in an uncharacteristic fashion but grew in confidence as the innings progressed. Besides Gayle, young Sarfaraz Khan (46 n o, 29b) also played a good hand towards the end to propel the team to past 180-run mark.
Rajasthan’s decision to bowl first on a two-paced wicket was bang on target as opener KL Rahul (four) lasted just four balls before edging an outgoing Dhawal Kulkarni delivery to wicketkeeper Jos Buttler, who took a brilliant one-handed catch.
Gayle and Mayank Agarwal (22) then struggled to hit big shots against RR’s disciplined bowling as they garnered just 32 runs in the powerplay overs. The dou finally broke their shackles, hitting Jaydev Unadkat for a four and six to yield 13 runs of the bowler’s opening over.
Gayle then opened up his arms again and hit Krishnappa Gowtham (1/32) for a maximum in the first ball of the ninth over. But Gowtham broke the 54-run stand between Gayle and Agarwal after the latter was caught at long-off by Kulkarni.
Brought back into the attack in the 12th over, Unadkat was taken to the cleaners by Gayle as he hit the left-arm pacer for three consecutive fours and then a straight six over the bowler’s head to bring up his fifty in 33 balls.
Unadkat’s second over, that produced 17 runs, opened the floodgates for KXIP as Sarfaraz too joined the party and together with Gayle punished the bad deliveries.
After playing cautiously initially, Gayle went on a rampage, stood on his crease and clobbered Ben Stokes (2/48) for two boundaries and six before being caught at midwicket fence by Rahul Tripathi in the fifth ball of the same over. The burly West Indian along with young Sarfaraz added 84 runs for the third wicket and in the process gave KXIP the much-needed momentum.
